Serbia fired the first shot in their bid to defend their Davis Cup title on Sunday as they advanced past India into the quarter-finals, as newcomers Kazakhstan shocked the Czech Republic in their World Group first-round tie.
Last year’s runners-up France, Germany and the US also sealed their spots in the last eight to join Spain, Argentina and Sweden, who had already advanced on Saturday.
Serbia booked a clash with Sweden after coming away 4-1 winners in Novi Sad over India, as Germany’s tie with Croatia went down to the wire in Zagreb, before the visitors went through 3-2. They next meet France, who were pushed hard before beating Austria 3-2 in Vienna, but Kazakhstan provided the biggest upset of the weekend in their first appearance in the World Group as they took to the court to beat the Czech Republic 3-2 in Ostrava just hours after finding their hotel rooms had been burgled.
Photo: Reuters
Andrey Golubev, ranked No. 43, shocked Tomas Berdych 7-5, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 in the day’s first reverse singles as the world No. 7 showed the strain of playing three days in a row.
Mikhail Kukushkin, ranked No. 63, was then feted as a hero after dominating Jan Hajek 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (10/8), 6-0 to seal the decisive point.
Kazakhstan next meet Argentina after the South Americans beat Romania 4-1 in Buenos Aires. Eduardo Schwank eased past Victor Crivoi 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, with Adrian Ungur getting a point back for the visitors with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 win over Juan Monaco.
Viktor Troicki, who became a national hero in Serbia after beating France’s Michael Llodra in December to win the Davis Cup title, lived up to his reputation and beat Somdev Devvarman 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 to give his side an unassailable 3-1 lead.
Janko Tipsarevic then beat India’s Karan Rastogi 6-0, 6-1 in the final dead rubber.
“We won and that’s the most important. It wasn’t easy, but we fought back with a lot of heart,” Troicki said. “It’s a great feeling to be in the last eight of the competition ... it also gives us a chance to carry on with our title defense.”
In Santiago, Andy Roddick scored the winning point for the US when he defeated Chile’s Paul Capdeville 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 6-3, to set up a last-eight tie against Spain.
Roddick came back after dropping a set to beat Capdeville in just over three hours after doubles specialists Bob and Mike Bryan had put the US ahead on Saturday with a 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) success over Jorge Aguilar and Nicolas Massu.
“My plan was to make him work hard,” Roddick said. “I knew I was fresher, I had better legs and that won me the match.”
Rafael Nadal-inspired Spain beat Belgium 4-1 in Charleroi.
World No. 1 Nadal overwhelmed Olivier Rochus 6-4, 6-2 in the first of the day’s reverse singles, after slaying 144-ranked Ruben Bemelmans 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 on Friday.
Steve Darcis got a point back for Belgium, beating Feliciano Lopez 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/3) in the final dead rubber.
Spain are seeking a third Davis Cup win in four years after 2008 and 2009.
Philipp Petzschner ensured Germany advanced in Zagreb following a three-set tussle with big-hitting Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/5). Marin Cilic had pulled Croatia level 2-2 by beating Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) in the first of the day’s reverse singles.
France, meanwhile, battled into the next round, with Jeremy Chardy scoring the decisive point with a 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-3 win over Martin Fischer that set up a meeting with Germany in July.
“The important thing is to advance. Next time, maybe it will be another who will get two points,” said Chardy, who was the hero of the weekend as he also achieved their first point by beating world No. 10 Jurgen Melzer in Friday’s opening match.
Earlier, Melzer beat Gilles Simon 7-6 (9/7), 3-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-0 to level 2-2 to the delight of the crowd packed into a hanger at Vienna airport.
“We qualified in pain, but with extraordinary matches,” France captain Guy Forget said.
In Boraas, Russia saved face by winning their two reverse singles after seven-time champions Sweden took an unassailable 3-0 lead on Saturday.
Dmitry Tursunov beat Simon Aspelin 7-5, 6-2 and Igor Andreev saw off Joachim Johansson 7-6 (10/8), 6-4.
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