Serbia through to Davis Cup quarter-finals

they advanced past India into the quarter-finals as newcomers Kazakhstan shocked the Czech Republic in their World Group first round tie.
Last year’s runners-up France, Germany and the United States also sealed their spots in the last eight to join Spain, Argentina and Sweden who had already advanced on Saturday.
Serbia booked a clash with Sweden after coming away 4-1 winners in Novi Sad over India, as Germany’s tie with Croatia went down to the wire in Zagreb before the visitors went through 3-2.
They next meet France who were pushed hard before beating Austria 3-2 in Vienna.
But Kazakhstan provided the biggest upset of the weekend in their first appearance in the World Group as they took to the court to beat the Czech Republic 3-2 in Ostrava just hours after finding their hotel rooms had been burgled.
Andrey Golubev, ranked 43, shocked Tomas Berdych 7-5, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, in the day’s first reverse singles as the world number seven showed the strain of playing three days in a row.
Mikhail Kukushkin, ranked 63, was then feted as a hero by dominating Jan Hajek 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (10/8), 6-0 to seal the decisive point.
The Kazakhs next meet Argentina after the South Americans beat Romania 4-1 in Buenos Aires. Eduardo Schwank eased past Victor Crivoi 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 with Adrian Ungur getting a point back for the visitors with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 win over Juan Monaco.
Viktor Troicki, who became a national hero in Serbia after beating France’s Michael Llodra in December to win the Davis Cup title, lived up to his reputation and beat Somdev Devvarman 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 to give his side an unassailable 3-1 lead.
Janko Tipsarevic then beat India’s Karan Rastogi 6-0, 6-1 in the final dead rubber.
“We won and that’s the most important. It wasn’t easy but we fought back with a lot of heart,” Troicki said.
“It’s a great feeling to be in the last eight of the competition . . . it also gives us a chance to carry on with our title defence.”
In Santiago, Andy Roddick scored the winning point for the United States when he defeated Chile’s Paul Capdeville 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 6-3, to set up a last eight tie against Spain.
Roddick came back after dropping a set to beat Capdeville in just over three hours after doubles specialists Bob and Mike Bryan had put the USA ahead on Saturday with a 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) success over Jorge Aguilar and Nicolas Massu.
“My plan was to make him work hard,” said Roddick.
“I knew I was fresher, I had better legs and that won me the match.”
The Rafael Nadal-inspired Spaniards beat Belgium 4-1 at Charleroi. World number one Nadal overwhelmed Olivier Rochus 6-4, 6-2 in the first of the day’s reverse singles, after slaying 144-ranked Ruben Bemelmans 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 on Friday. – AFP.