Spain’s title defense began nervously after Switzerland pocketed the first singles while the Czech Republic, Serbia, France, Russia and Croatia swept their matches on the first day of Davis Cup World Group action on Friday.
The 2-0 leads for the Czechs over host Belgium, Serbia over the US, France against Germany, Russia over India, and Croatia against Ecuador followed the formbook, but Argentina surprisingly tied Sweden 1-1 in Stockholm and gave David Nalbandian another chance to be a hero.
Chile and Israel were set to start their tie in Coquimbo yesterday, a day late because of the killer earthquake and tsunami last weekend.
PHOTO: AFP
In a converted Logrono bullring, Switzerland’s No. 1 Stanislas Wawrinka, playing his first match since the Australian Open after the birth of his daughter, outlasted Nicolas Almagro of Spain 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, but David Ferrer accounted for Marco Chiudinelli 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 to soothe Spanish worries.
How far Switzerland push Spain will depend on Wawrinka, who after playing four hours on Friday will play doubles and reverse singles today, a day the tie wasn’t expected to be alive.
In Bree, Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek began their quest to return the Czech Republic to the final for a second straight year by not dropping a set against Belgium.
Berdych defeated Olivier Rochus 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 despite 36 unforced errors, then Stepanek downed Xavier Malisse 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3). Neither were named for the doubles, but with an opportunity to clinch the tie and advance to the quarter-finals, Berdych and Stepanek could be back on court.
In Toulon, former top-10 player Gael Monfils of France earned his first Davis Cup win by beating Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga remained unbeaten since his debut in 2008 when he defeated Benjamin Becker 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3 to put Germany in a 2-0 hole.
When Nikolay Davydenko’s replacement, Igor Andreev, hurt his knee in practice, Igor Kunitsyn received only an hour’s notice that he was playing and duly beat Somdev Devvarman 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-4 to set Russia rolling against India, making their first World Group appearance since 1998.
Mikhail Youzhny capped another good day for the home team in Moscow by dispatching Rohan Bopanna 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. Russia haven’t lost at home since 1996.
In Varazdin, Croatia managed to handle the Lapentti brothers of Ecuador.
Ivo Karlovic overcame Nicolas Lapentti 6-2, 5-7, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3, 6-4, then Marin Cilic downed Giovanni Lapentti 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
Nicolas Lapentti reversed his decision last year to retire and withstood 36 aces from Karlovic to almost pull off a stunner.
In Belgrade, Viktor Troicki beat John Isner in his Davis Cup debut 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-4, then Novak Djokovic saw off Sam Querrey 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-3 to put Serbia in command against the US.
In Stockholm, Leonardo Mayer rallied to beat Joachim Johansson 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 in his first Davis Cup singles after Robin Soderling beat debutant Eduardo Schwank 6-1, 7-6 (7/0), 7-5 to leave Argentina tied with Sweden and a chance for Nalbandian to shine.
Jobe Bellingham on Tuesday admitted to having “anxieties” on following in brother Jude’s footsteps after joining Borussia Dortmund in the summer. Jobe Bellingham, 19, is two years younger than Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid in 2023 after three years at Dortmund. A centerpiece of the England national team, Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the best players in the world in recent seasons. The younger Jobe Bellingham joined Dortmund in June from Sunderland after their promotion to the English Premier League. He admitted he understood what the perception would be ahead of the move to Germany. “It’s something you do think about.
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NEXT ROUND: World No. 1s Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka opened their title defenses with straight-sets wins, while Iga Swiatek and Taylor Fritz also advanced Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka got their title defenses off to smooth starts as they powered into the third round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open on Saturday. The men’s and women’s top seeds, each ranked No. 1 in the world, were both competing for the first time since Wimbledon, where Sinner lifted the title and Sabalenka bowed out in the women’s semi-finals. Sinner crushed Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1 in steamy afternoon weather, while Sabalenka beat 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 7-5, 6-1 under the lights of the night session. Sabalenka needed 54 minutes and a service break in the final game
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