Canada ended the first day of their Davis Cup semi-final with Serbia level on 1-1 as Janko Tipsarevic failed to follow up Novak Djokovic’s opening win. In the first rubber, it took only 100 minutes for world No. 1 Djokovic to compellingly and confidently rout 41st-ranked Canadian Vasek Pospisil, giving Serbia an early lead.
Djokovic, who arrived in Belgrade on Wednesday after losing to Spain’s Rafael Nadal in the third of four consecutive bids to win the US Open final, only allowed Pospisil a total of six games, winning 6-2, 6-0, 6-4.
“Playing for my country additionally inspires me and gives me an extra strength. I played extremely good and I am very happy to have brought a lead to Serbia,” Djokovic told reporters after the match.
However, in the following rubber, Montenegro-born Canadian Milos Raonic, the world No. 11, defeated the 23rd-ranked Janko Tipsarevic in a dramatic five-set match 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 10-8.
This was Tipsarevic’s ninth singles five-setter while playing for Serbia in the Davis Cup.
Tipsarevic twice took a lead in the four-hour match, but Raonic tied both times and in the exciting fifth set the two were level until 4-4. Having won his fifth game, Tipsarevic managed to gain a match point on Raonic’s serve, but failed to capitalize and eventually lost the match.
The tie is being played on an indoor clay court before a sell-out crowd of 15,000 at Belgrade Arena. The winner will advance to November’s final against either Argentina or the Czech Republic.
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