Djokovic, Nalbandian Heroics: Davis Cup Wrap
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Spain d. Switzerland 4-1
It looked to be a match after Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka took the opening singles on Friday over Nicolas Almagro, but then it became the David Ferrer show. Ferrer evened the tie at 1-1 on Friday with a win over Marco Chiudinelli, then after the Spanish pair of Marc Granollers/Tommy Robredo defeated Yves Allegro/Wawrinka in doubles, Ferrer capped the tie Sunday recording a decisive 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 win over a spent Wawrinka.
ADHEREL
France d. Germany 4-1
The French doubles squad of Julien Benneteau/Michael Llodra finished a 3-0 whitewash of the Germans on Saturday, beating the team of Christopher Kas/Philipp Kohlschreiber in four sets to earn a hosting bid against Spain in the quarterfinals. In the opening singles on Friday, Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga recorded wins over Kohlschreiber and Benjamin Becker respectively.
Russia d. India 3-2
The legendary doubles tandem of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi kept the Indians in this tie and extended it to a third day, but the Russian firepower in singles was too much. Igor Kunitsyn and Mikhail Youzhny put Russia up 2-0 on Friday, topping Somdev Devvarman and Rohan Bopanna respectively. Bhupathi-Paes easily won the Saturday doubles, but then Youzhny sealed the win with an easy straight-set win over the weapon-challenged Devvarman.
Argentina d. Sweden 3-2
Argentina’s David Nalbandian was first thought too injured to participate in the Stockholm tie, but after a successful insertion in the Saturday doubles, Nalbandian played the hero in the fifth and deciding singles match, defeating Sweden’s Andreas Vinciguerra to put Argentina into the Davis Cup quarterfinals. Swede Robin Soderling forced a fifth match by defeating Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer in straight sets in the first Sunday singles. Argentina will travel to Russia for the quarterfinal encounter.
Croatia d. Ecuador 5-0
The home-country Croatians eased past Ecuador’s Lapentti brothers, with Croats Ivo Karlovic and Marin Cilic doing the heavy lifting in both singles and doubles. On the opening day Karlovic defeated Nicolas Lapentti in four sets, and Cilic beat Giovanni Lapentti in straight sets. The Croats then clinched in the Saturday doubles in straight sets.
Serbia d. U.S. 3-1
Novak Djokovic’s fitness and scrambling trumped John Isner’s big serving as the Serb’s advanced into the quarterfinals after a marathon five-set singles in the first match on Sunday. Serbia entered Sunday leading 2-1 after sweeping the singles, but the Americans put a doubles point on the board when Bob Bryan and Isner (subbing for an ill Mike Bryan) defeated Janko Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic. But three matches in three days proved too many for Isner, who succumbed to Djokovic’s court coverage 6-4 in the fifth set. Serbia will next face Croatia in a first-time meeting, with the home country to be determined.
Czech Republic d. Belgium 4-1
Belgium was roughed up 3-0 on their home court as Czechs Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek did the damage in both singles and doubles. The Czech swept to a 2-0 lead on Friday when Berdych defeated Olivier Rochus and Stepanek beat Xavier Malisse, both in straight sets. The Czechs clinched in the Saturday doubles after Berdych/Stepanek straight-setted Steve Darcis and Rochus.
Chile leads Israel 2-1
Israel wins the Sunday doubles in the tie that started a day late due to the Chilean earthquake. Chile’s Nicolas Massu and Fernando Gonzalez won the opening Saturday singles against Dudi Sela and Harel Levy respectively before Israel’s Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram put their country on the board with a 6-0 in the fifth victory over Jorge Aguilar and Paul Capdeville. The final singles will be Gonzalez vs. Sela, and Massu vs. Levy.
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