U.S. into quarterfinals
The United States advanced to the Davis Cup quarterfinals after beating Serbia for the first time thanks to a four-set doubles victory on Saturday. The U.S. ran into
Novak Djokovic in the previous losses, but without him Serbia was eliminated 3-0 and a day early in Nis. Switzerland, without Roger
Federer, suffered the same fate in Astana, where host Kazakhstan won 3-0 after a nearly 3 1/2-hour doubles. Timur Khabibulin and
Aleksandr Nedovyesov, playing their second Davis Cup doubles, defeated Marc-Andrea Huesler and
Luca Margaroli 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (5), 6-3, and await Croatia or Canada in April. U.S. pair Ryan Harrison and Steve Johnson beat Serbia team Nikola Milojevic and Miljan Zekic 6-7 (3), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 to cap singles victories by Sam Querrey and John Isner. The Americans will have a home quarterfinal against Belgium or Hungary. Belgium, the 2017 finalist which was 2-0 up on Hungary after Friday, failed to clinch the tie in Liege when Ruben Bemelmans and Joris de Loore lost to Attila Balazs and Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 4-6, 7-5. David Goffin, 22-3 in cup singles, is favored to clinch the tie in the first reverse singles today against Fucsovics. Defending champion France moved 2-1 ahead of the Netherlands in Alobertville after Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut came through against Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (2). Australian Open singles finalist Marin Cilic was summoned by Croatia just hours beforehand to combine with Ivan Dodig. Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil won the first two sets but couldn’t hold on and lost 2-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2. Spain led Britain 2-1 in Marbella after Pablo Carreno Busta and Feliciano Lopez dusted off Dominic Inglot and Jamie Murray 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (4).