Underdog downs French star
ARGENTINA are into the Davis Cup World Group semifinal after world No 71, Carlos Berlocq, beat 13th-ranked Frenchman Gilles Simon.
ARGENTINA are into the Davis Cup World Group semifinal after their world No 71, Carlos Berlocq, beat 13th-ranked Frenchman Gilles Simon to hand the South Americans a 3-2 win on Sunday.
A distraught Simon, who saved five match points before finally succumbing, said it was the lowest point of his tennis career.
“By a long way that was the most difficult defeat to accept of my entire career,” he said. “What disappointment, it was a very important match for everyone. I had to win it, but didn’t.
“I did the best I could. All I wanted to do was win — for me, for the others, for Jo (Tsonga) who didn’t deserve to lose after winning two matches.”
Argentina will face defending champions Czech Republic, who eliminated Kazakhstan earlier in the day.
Serbia and semifinal newcomer Canada also won their quarterfinals on Sunday.
Berlocq said he did not want to let down his family, friends and team-mates who were pulling for an Argentina victory at the Parque Roca in Buenos Aires.
“When you are in your own country, with everyone around, your family, your friends, who have confidence in you, their confidence is contagious.
“All the team believed victory was possible. It was a battle, fortunately we won it.”
France had levelled the quarterfinal tie earlier after JoWilfried Tsonga dismantled Juan Monaco 6-3 6-3 6-0 in one hour, 42 minutes to force a deciding rubber. Against the odds, that went to Berlocq, who fought back to prevail 6-4 5-7 7-5 6-4 against
World No 1 Djokovic said he probably would not have finished the match if it were not the Davis Cup
Simon, who was called in late to replace Richard Gasquet.
David Nalbandian and Horacio Zeballos had also come from behind to win Saturday’s doubles, which gave the hosts the upper hand going into the final day.
World No 1 and Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic’s victory over Sam Querrey of the US on Sunday advanced Serbia into the semifinals.
Djokovic, who had to battle through an ankle injury he suffered in the opening set, earned a 7-5 6-7 (4/7) 6-1 6-0 win to give the Serbians an insurmountable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five tie.
It is the second win for Serbia in four years over the 32-time title holders US. In their only other previous Davis Cup encounter Serbia defeated the Americans in Belgrade in 2010.
“I am sorry for team USA but it was a thrilling weekend for all of us,” Djokovic said.
He had to play through the pain of a bad right ankle, which he sprained in the third game of the opening set.
“I took some anti-inflammatories, and they kicked in at the end of the second set,” he said.
Djokovic said he probably would not have finished the match if it were not the Davis Cup.
The 25-year-old Djokovic clinched the victory over world No 20 Querrey with a backhand winner, ending the two hour, 35 minute match.
Serbia will now meet Canada after Milos Raonic sent the Canucks to their first-ever semifinal by beating Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-4 6-4 3-6 7-5.
The 22-year-old Raonic overpowered Seppi with his booming serve before Seppi stepped up and won the third set in Vancouver, British Columbia.
But Raonic rebounded to win the fourth, finishing the match with 35 aces to complete the historic win for Canada, who will travel to Serbia for the semifinals in September.
Lukas Rosol of Czech Republic put the defending champions into the semifinals with a tough win over Kazakhstan’s Evgeny Korolev at Astana.
Rosol won 7-6 6-7 7-6 6-2 in his first head-to-head meeting with the 25-year-old Korolev to give his team an unassailable 3-1 lead in the tie. Sapa-AFP