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Serbia in Davis Cup quarters, Spain face exit
Serbia and France cruised into the Davis Cup quarter-finals on Saturday as five-time champions Spain faced a humiliating first round exit.
Serbia and France cruised into the Davis Cup quarter-finals on Saturday as five-time champions Spain faced a humiliating first round exit.
Serbia, the 2010 champions, reached the last eight for the fourth successive season when Viktor Troicki and Nenad Zimonjic defeated Steve Darcis and Ruben Bemelmans 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 to secure a 3-0 win over Belgium.
The Serbs were 2-0 up overnight in Charleroi when Troicki survived a marathon battle to beat David Goffin 1-6, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-4 before world number one and Australian Open title-holder Novak Djokovic eased past Olivier Rochus 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
Serbia are likely to face the United States for a semi-final place after the 32-time champions opened a 2-0 lead over Brazil in Florida.
In Rouen, Michael Llodra and Julien Benneteau teamed up to move France into the quarter-finals as they powered past Israeli pairing Dudi Sela and Jonathan Erlich.
The French duo won 7-6 (7/3), 6-1, 6-0 in the doubles to cement an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the tie.
France had led 2-0 overnight in Arnaud Clement's debut as national coach.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the world No 8, beat Amir Weintraub 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 before world number 10 Richard Gasquet breezed past Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. France will now either head to Argentina or host Germany in April.
