•    HOME   
•    NEWS   
•    BUSINESS   
•    INTERNATIONAL   
•    TECH   
•    SPORTS   
•    LIFE & TIMES   
•    OPINION   
•    MY JAKARTA   
•    BLOGS   

France, Croatia and the Czech Republic reached the Davis Cup quarterfinals, while Russia and Serbia were delayed by defeats in doubles on Saturday.

Tommy Robredo and Marcel Granollers came through for defending champion Spain to lead the Swiss 2-1, and David Nalbandian helped swing the tie in Stockholm in Argentina’s favor.

Nicolas Massu and Fernando Gonzalez won their singles matches in four sets against Israel to give Chile’s first-round tie a much-needed positive start following the deadly earthquake.

France failed last year to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2000, but it secured an unbeatable 3-0 lead against Germany when Michael Llodra and Julien Benneteau defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber and Christopher Kas 6-1, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 in Toulon.

“The 3-0 score is the ideal and the manner was there, too,” France captain Guy Forget said.

In Varazdin, Croatia, Friday singles winners Marin Cilic and Ivo Karlovic teamed up to beat brothers Nicolas and Giovanni Lapentti 7-6 (3), 6-3, 7-5 for the third point.

“Even I didn’t expect it to be that easy,” Croatia coach Goran Prpic said. “This gives us a confidence to believe that we can move further than last year,” when Croatia was ousted in the semifinals by the Czech Republic.

The Czechs advanced thanks to Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek, who also won Friday’s singles, beating Olivier Rochus and Steve Darcis of Belgium 7-6 (0), 6-0, 6-3 in Bree.

Defending champion Spain gained control against Switzerland when Robredo and Granollers beat Stanislas Wawrinka and Yves Allegro 7-6 (8), 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 under the roof of the Logrono bullring.

India’s Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes, one of tennis’s greatest doubles teams, stopped Russia from wrapping up the tie in Moscow by steamrolling first-time pair Igor Kunitsyn and Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Bhupathi and Paes, winners of 10 Grand Slam doubles titles and unbeaten in 23 consecutive Davis Cup doubles, needed only 96 minutes for the win.

Another great duo, the top-ranked Bryan twins, didn’t play together in the Davis Cup for the first time, yet Bob Bryan paired with rookie John Isner to beat world No. 1 doubles player Nenad Zimonjic and Janko Tipsarevic 7-6 (8), 5-7, 7-6 (8), 6-3 to keep the United States alive and cut Serbia’s lead to 2-1 in Belgrade.

Bob Bryan’s twin, Mike, was sidelined with food poisoning.

Isner will play for a third straight day on Sunday in the first reverse singles against Novak Djokovic, who has a chance to deliver Serbia’s first win in the World Group before an adoring home crowd and set up a quarterfinal against Croatia.

The Croatians, the 2005 Davis Cup champions, hope their neighbors do it. The two countries fought a war in 1991, and while they have since vastly improved relations, tensions between them still occasionally flare up.

Prpic said if Croatia’s next opponent is Serbia, “It’ll be exciting.” 


AP