Russia and Canada book Davis Cup semi-final berths

Russia beat Novak Djokovic’s Serbia on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the Davis Cup following a cliff-hanger match that went all the way to a deciding tie-breaker.

With the quarter-final level at 1-1 following the singles, the Russian pairing of Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev faced Djokovic and Viktor Troicki in the deciding rubber.

After a see-saw match of high drama the Russians came out 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (10/8) winners and face Canada, quarter-final victors over Australia, in Saturday’s semi-finals.

Earlier in the day Rublev won the first singles over Filip Krajinovic 6-1, 6-2 to give Russia a lead, cancelled out later by Djokovic, who overcame Khachanov 6-3, 6-3.

In the absence of Daniil Medvedev, the Russian star who pulled out of the event citing exhaustion, Russian captain Shamil Tarpischev placed his faith in Rublev and Khachanov for both singles and doubles.

In the end, all hinged on the doubles with Russia taking an option on victory with a 6-4 first set win.

In the second set and with the Serbs up 4-2 Djokovic appeared to suffer discomfort from his right elbow, the same place where her reported pain at the ATP Finals last week.

After receiving two massage sessions during change overs he appeared to have recovered and Serbia were back on level terms one set-all.

The third set went to 6-6. Then the Serbs missed three match points in the tie-breaker, most agonisingly when Troicki missed an easy volley for victory.

The Russians made no mistake when their turn came, clinching victory with their first match point.

Earlier, Canada became the first team to make the semi-finals on Thursday as they clinched a tense and decisive doubles rubber to defeat Australia.

Nick Kyrgios had declared Australia capable of winning the tournament earlier this week but he played no part against Canada, perhaps due to injury, and his country crashed out in the quarters.

Canada’s Vasek Pospisil, ranked 150th in the world, was the star of the show as he beat John Millman 7-6 (9/7) 6-4 in the singles and then formed a winning team with Denis Shapovalov in the doubles, the pair beating Jordan Thompson and John Peers 6-4, 6-4.

In between, Alex de Minaur had given Australia hope of a comeback as he battled from a set down to outlast Shapovalov 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

A first victory in 10 meetings with Australia means Canada will face either Serbia and Novak Djokovic or Russia in the last four on Saturday, for a place in Sunday’s final.

Britain rested Andy Murray and squeezed out of Group E earlier on Thursday after winning an all-or-nothing doubles rubber to beat Kazakhstan.

The British team knew defeat would ensure an early exit just as France, the tournament’s top seeds, had already crashed out a few hours before at the hands of Serbia and Djokovic.

It made the gamble to leave Murray out of the singles all the more bold, even if the Scot appears to be struggling for fitness after his lengthy duel with Holland’s Tallon Griekspoor on Wednesday.

Agence France-Presse