Troicki, Zimonjic Lead Serbia To Davis Cup QF
SERBIA 3, RUSSIA 0
Venue: Cair Sports Center, Nis, Serbia (Indoor Hard)
Viktor Troicki was the hero in Serbia's title-clinching run in 2010 and the 30 year old is once again thriving in Davis Cup play. The Serbians are back in the quarter-finals for the third straight year after Troicki and former doubles No. 1 Nenad Zimonjic defeated Russians Konstantin Kravchuk and Andrey Kuznetsov 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 6-4. The win also gives Zimonjic his first victory as Davis Cup captain.
The home nation converted eight of 18 break chances during the three-hour and nine-minute encounter. Troicki is the marathon man of the tie after overcoming #NextGenATP star Karen Khachanov in a fifth-set tie-break on Friday afternoon in Nis. Also led by World No. 2 Novak Djokovic, eighth-seeded Serbia will face either Croatia or Serbia next.
GERMANY 1, BELGIUM 2
Venue: Fraport Arena, Frankfurt, Germany (Indoor Hard)
The Belgians are one win from snatching a road tie in Germany, after Ruben Bemelmans and Joris De Loore needed five sets to oust Alexander Zverev and Mischa Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4), 4-6, 4-6, 6-3. The 2015 runners-up are eyeing a slice of redemption after falling in the first round last year.
Bemelmans and De Loore prevailed after three hours and 13 minutes, firing 55 total winners. They are 2-0 together in Davis Cup action, with both victories coming in five sets. Last year, the Belgian duo stunned Brazilians Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares in the World Group Play-off.
"In the circumstances and with who we were playing and where, this feels better,” De Loore said. “It was hard because I thought we were the better pair but a few points changed it around. Alex’s serve is unbelievable but at the net he wasn't as strong as his brother.”
UNITED STATES 3, SWITZERLAND 0
Venue: Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham, Alabama (Indoor Hard)Team USA continued their dominance over Switzerland as Steve Johnson/Jack Sock moved past Adrien Bossel/Henri Laaksonen 7-6(3), 6-3, 7-6(5). Johnson/Sock saved set points while returning down 3-5 in the third set. Sock came in as a last-minute substitution for Sam Querrey and Laaksonen replaced Antoine Bellier. The American Davis Cup doubles lineup has a new look due to Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan announcing last month that they were stepping down from Davis Cup competition after 14 years of play.
The Americans also defeated Switzerland 4-1 in Birmingham in 2009. That squad was led by Andy Roddick, James Blake and the Bryan brothers, while Stan Wawrinka headlined the Swiss team.
The United States will now renew one of the most decorated rivalries in Davis Cup history when they play Australia in the quarter-finals after the Aussies defeated the Czech Republic this weekend. They’ve played 46 times dating back to 1905, with the Americans currently leading the head-to-head 26-20. Team USA prevailed over Australia 3-1 in last year’s World Group first-round tie on grass in Kooyong.
CANADA 2, GREAT BRITAIN 1
Venue: TD Place Arena, Ottawa, Canada (Indoor Hard)Dominic Inglot/Jamie Murray took the critical doubles point with a 7-6(1), 6-7(3), 7-6(3), 6-3 win over Daniel Nestor/Vasek Pospisil. Inglot/Murray fired 17 aces and 29 winners on the day to prevail in three hours and eight minutes.
Pospisil has been dealing with knee issues throughout the weekend. He is still scheduled to play Daniel Evans in the fourth rubber, but Peter Polansky could come in as a potential substitute. Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov will play Kyle Edmund in the fifth and final match of the tie.