France advances in Davis Cup

Defending champion France advanced to the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup after beating the Netherlands 3-1 for its eighth win in nine matches at home.

Adrian Mannarino won the first reverse singles at Albertville, France, in a four-hour, 20-minute match against Robin Haase which featured 34 break-point chances.

Mannarino won 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5, 6-7 (2), 7-5 and punched the air as the French team celebrated wildly.

The last first-round singles wasn’t played as France clinched its World Group quarterfinal spot against host Italy in April. Italy defeated Japan 3-1 at Morioka, Japan.

Spain beat Britain 3-1 at Marabella, Spain, and will play Germany in the quarterfinals. The hosts had to do without Rafael Nadal while Britain was without Andy Murray.

Alexander Zverev powered Germany through to the quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over Australia at Brisbane, beating Nick Kyrgios 6-2, 7-6 (3), 6-2.

“It’s an amazing feeling, hopefully this is just the beginning for us,” the fifth-ranked Zverev said.

No. 14-ranked Kyrgios looked frustrated from the start of the match on hardcourts at Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Arena, and required a second-set medical timeout to receive treatment on his right arm.

The United States had secured its quarterfinal place Saturday with an insurmountable 3-0 lead over Serbia at Nis. The Americans will have a home quarterfinal against Belgium, which beat Hungary 3-2.

Croatia will host Kazakhstan in the other quarterfinal.