Australia must win one of their two remaining singles matches to progress to the Davis Cup semi-finals after John Peers and Sam Groth were beaten in a five-set doubles arm-wrestle on Saturday against the United States.

Peers and Groth fell 3-6 6-3 6-2 2-6 6-3 to Jack Sock and Steve Johnson, with the margin in the World Group quarter-final tie now at 2-1 after Jordan Thompson and Nick Kyrgios triumphed in their singles matches on Friday at Pat Rafter Arena.

Kyrgios faces Sock in Sunday’s opener but if the 21-year-old can’t finish the job, it will fall to world No.79 Jordan Thompson in his daunting clash with John Isner.