DC round-up: holders Spain saunter into quarters
Originally published on: 08/03/10 12:34
David Ferrer ensured that Spain eased through to the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup with a 4-1 win over Switzerland in Logrono.
The hero of the 2009 final against the Czech Republic beat Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2 6-4 6-0 to ensure victory in the World Group tie after they had recovered from losing the opening rubber.
The victory extends Spain’s unbeaten home run to 19 ties and setting them on course for an unprecedented third straight title in 2010.
Nicolas Almagro beat Marco Chiudinelli 6-1 6-3 in the final dead rubber, but Ferrer admitted neither man can take his place in the team for granted in the last-eight clash with France.
World No.3 Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco, both missing through injury for the Switzerland tie, will be expected to play a part.
“I hope to play and be picked, but we will see,” said Ferrer. “I just want to focus on the next tournaments.”
France had sealed their last-eight spot against Germany after taking a 3-0 lead with Saturday’s doubles after singles wins for Gaels Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Friday, before they wrapped up a 4-1 victory in Toulon.
Late arrival David Nalbandian sealed Argentina’s victory over Sweden by defeating Andreas Vinciguerra in the deciding rubber.
The score in Stockholm was level at 2-2 before Nalbandian, who declared himself fit following a leg injury in a last-ditch bid to help a squad left without Juan Martin del Potro and juan Monaco, took the final match 7-5 6-3 4-6 6-4 to set up a quarter-final showdown with Russia, who eased past India.
Mikhail Youzhny’s 6-2 6-1 6-3 victory over Somdev Devvarman put the Russians 3-1 up in Moscow before they eventually progressed 3-2.
Serbia booked their spot in the next round after world No.2 Novak Djokovic survived a 24-ace onslaught from John Isner to win 7-5 3-6 6-3 6-7(6) 6-4 and give his country an insurmountable 3-1 lead over the USA in Belgrade.
They will now face Croatia, who had victory over Ecuador wrapped up on Saturday, for a place in the semi-finals.
Chile and Israel’s tie will resume on Monday, with the winners set to meet 2009 finalists the Czech Republic, who had finished off Belgium by Saturday.
Israeli duo Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram kept the tie alive with a 6-7(5) 7-6(9) 2-6 6-1 6-0 doubles victory over Paul Capderville and Jorge Aguilar in the doubles.
Fernando Gonzalez faces Dudi Sela and Nicolas Massu will play Harel Levi in Monday’s key reverse singles rubbers in a tie that was delayed by a day due to the region’s recent earthquake.
Elsewhere, Great Britain slumped to a humiliating Davis Cup defeat in Lithuania, leaving them facing a play-off tie against Turkey to avoid slipping into Europe/Africa Zone Group III – the lowest tier of the competition.
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