Serbia, France, Oz, Belgium in semis
Paris, April 9: Serbia and France set up a Davis Cup semi-final showdown on Saturday while Australia defeated 32-time winners United States to enter the semifinals on Sunday.
In Belgrade, Serbia’s Viktor Troicki and Nenad Zimonjic defeated Pablo Carreno-Busta and Marc Lopez 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 to seal victory over Spain while, in Rouen, France also took an unassailable 3-0 lead against Great Britain.
France, the nine-time champions, will host 2010 winners Serbia in the semi-finals in September.
Novak Djokovic and Troicki had won Friday’s singles to give Serbia a 2-0 lead over Spain before the hosts took an unassailable advantage on Saturday against the five-time champions who were missing 14time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal.
Victory gave 40-year-old playing-captain Zimonjic, who has not missed a Davis Cup tie for a decade, a 30th win in the tournament.
“He had pressure, he put himself into play and did a great job,” said Troicki.
France reached their fifth semi-final in eight years when Nicolas Mahut and Julien Benneteau defeated Britain’s Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot 7-6 (9/7), 5-7, 7-5, 7-5.
In Brisbane, a much happier Nick Kyrgios sent Australia into the semifinals when he beat American Sam Querrey in the first of the reverse singles on Sunday. Kyrgios's 76 (7/4), 6-3, 6-4 win gave the Australians an unassailable 3-1 lead over the US before John Isner won the dead rubber 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 over Sam Groth.
In Charleroi, Belgium’s David Goffin defeated Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi 6-3, 63, 6-2 to seal a 3-1 victory for the hosts and a semifinal showdown with Australia.