Skip to main content
BBC SPORT / TENNIS
Graphics Version | BBC News Home
Sport Homepage | Football | Formula 1 | Olympics | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Athletics | Cycling | Motorsport | Boxing | Snooker | Horse Racing | Disability Sport | Other sport... | Sports Personality | TV/Radio Schedule | Sport Academy | Fun and Games | Inside Sport | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Tennis Contents:  Live scores | Results | Skills | Rules and Equipment | Get Involved

20:50 GMT, Saturday, 12 April 2008 21:50 UK

Spain cruise into Davis Cup semis

Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco celebrate

Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez won an epic doubles match to take Spain into the semi-finals of the Davis Cup.

They saved two match points before beating Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber and Philipp Petzschner 6-7 7-6 6-4 2-6 12-10 in Bremen to put Spain 3-0 ahead.

Spain will face defending champions United States or France in September's semi-finals, with the USA 2-1 ahead.

Argentina lead Sweden 2-1 and Russia were 2-1 up on the Czech Republic in the other quarter-finals.

World number four Nikolay Davydenko returned to action on Saturday when he teamed up with Igor Andreev to give Russia a 2-1 lead in Moscow.

""It's enough to make you sick. I was on the court three hours yesterday, 4:45 today and didn't win. We lost that last set rather unluckily"
Philipp Kohlschreiber

Russian captain Shamil Tarpishchev had left out Davydenko from Friday's singles after he flew in late to Moscow following his singles triumph in Miami last weekend.

Feeling fresh after enjoying a rest day, Davydenko joined forces with Andreev and the duo outfought the Czech team of Pavel Vizner and Radek Stepanek 3-6 6-3 7-5 6-4 to give the hosts the psychological edge ahead of Sunday's reverse singles.

Spanish heroes Lopez and Verdasco saved match points at 6-6 and 8-8 in the final set before clinching victory in the 22nd game after an exhausting four hours and 45 minutes on court.

606: DEBATE
"Your thoughts on the Davis Cup quarter-finals"
Cricketing_stargazer

Kohlschreiber was taken to a hospital for a check-up late on Friday after complaining of not feeling well following his four-set singles loss to David Ferrer on the opening day.

"It's enough to make you sick," Kohlschreiber said. "I was on the court three hours yesterday, 4:45 today and didn't win. We lost that last set rather unluckily."

David Nalbandian and Guillermo Canas won their doubles rubber 7-5 6-4 6-4 against Jonas Bjorkman and Robert Linstedt to put Argentina on top of their match in Buenos Aires.

In the clash between the US and France, Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement rallied past twins Bob and Mike Bryan 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 6-3 6-4 to cut American's lead.



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:

USA take control against France (11 Apr 08 |  Tennis )
Nadal unhappy with clay calendar (11 Apr 08 |  Tennis )
Davydenko hammers Nadal in Miami (06 Apr 08 |  Tennis )
Djokovic illness hands Russia win (10 Feb 08 |  Tennis )
McEnroe wants Davis Cup changes (29 Feb 08 |  Tennis )
Fuming Roddick leads USA charge (08 Feb 08 |  Tennis )
Blake completes USA Davis Cup win (03 Dec 07 |  Tennis )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Latest tennis talk on 606
Tennis on the BBC
Tennis tips and tricks
Download our tennis masks
Davis Cup
ATP
ITF
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC SPORT: 

Sport Homepage | Football | Formula 1 | Olympics | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Athletics | Cycling | Motorsport | Boxing | Snooker | Horse Racing | Disability Sport | Other sport... | Sports Personality | TV/Radio Schedule | Sport Academy | Fun and Games | Inside Sport | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Tennis Contents:  Live scores | Results | Skills | Rules and Equipment | Get Involved

^ Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage | Feedback | Help | ©