UZBEKISTAN 1, UNITED STATES 2
Tashkent, Uzbekistan – Clay (Outdoors)
Steve Johnson, making his debut in the tie, and Sam Querrey gave 32-time champion United States a 2-1 advantage with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Farrukh Dustov and Denis Istomin in one hour and 33 minutes. “I thought we played really well,” said Querrey, who partnered Johnson to the recent US Open semi-finals. “We are a confident doubles team coming in and I thought we did everything that we do well, we did. I served well, Stevie cleaned up stuff at the net. I was hitting forehands. He was hitting forehands. It was a solid win and we are happy to get a point for the team.” Istomin will face Jack Sock in Sunday’s first reverse singles, with Dustov scheduled to challenge Johnson in the final rubber.
INDIA 1, CZECH REPUBLIC 2
New Dehli, India – Hard (Outdoors)
Three-time champion Czech Republic is on the brink of clinching a spot in the 2016 World Group after Adam Pavlasek and Radek Stepanek silenced Indian support with victory in the doubles rubber. The Czechs took a 2-1 lead in the tie after a 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 win over Rohan Bopanna and Leander Paes in two hours and nine minutes. Pavlasek, 20, is playing only his second Davis Cup rubber. “The doubles is a very important point to win when the series is at 1-1,” said Stepanek. “It was an important break that we got in the first set, and we were able to win it. That gave us a lot of confidence and as the match grew longer, we became more confident.” In Sunday’s reverse singles, Yuki Bhambri meets Jiri Vesely in the first rubbers, with Somdev Devvarman and Lukas Rosol in the fifth rubber.
RUSSIA 1, ITALY 2
Irkutsk, Russia – Hard (Indoors)
Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini, who teamed up to win this year’s Australian Open title, helped Italy to a 2-1 lead against Russia following a 7-5, 2-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(2) victory over Evgeny Donskoy and Konstantin Kravchuk. “Fabio played so well today, on both his serve and at the net,” said Fognini. “I think we played better than them in the key points, but it was very tough.” Italy has competed in the World Group for the past four years.
SWITZERLAND 2, NETHERLANDS 1
Geneva, Switzerland – Hard (Indoors)
The Netherlands gave itself a lifeline against Switzerland when Matwe Middelkoop and Thiemo de Bakker saved 11 of 13 break point opportunities to defeat Marco Chiudinelli and Roger Federer 7-6(7), 4-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in three hours and 20 minutes. Middelkoop was making his first appearance for the Netherlands since 2009. Federer is scheduled to meet de Bakker in Sunday’s first reserve singles, with Stan Wawrinka playing Jesse Huta Galung in the fifth rubber.
POLAND 2, SLOVAKIA 1
Gydnia, Poland – Hard (Indoors)
Poland is one match win away from a place in the World Group for the first time. Lukasz Kubot and Marcin Matkowski overcame Slovakia’s Andrej Martin and Igor Zelenay 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. Slovakia captain Miloslav Mecir praised Matkowski, saying, “He was serving fantastic and even returning very well. He was playing with a lot of speed and smart placement of the ball, so it was very tough for our guys.” Jerzy Janowicz plays Martin Klizan in Sunday’s first reverse singles rubber.
BRAZIL 1, CROATIA 2
Florianopolis, Brazil – Clay (Outdoors)
Croatia is on the verge of clinching an away tie against Brazil thanks to a 6-0, 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(3) win by Ivan Dodig and Franko Skugor against Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares. The Croats won 31 of 45 net points and saved 11 break opportunities during the match, which lasted three hours and 30 minutes. The visiting team, which has been part of the World Group for 12 of the past 13 years, needs one more win to remain in the top tier of Davis Cup competition for 2016. Borna Coric will take on Thomaz Bellucci in Sunday’s first reverse singles rubber.
COLOMBIA 2, JAPAN 1
Pereira, Colombia – Clay (Outdoors)
Colombia’s Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah teamed up to defeat Yoshihito Nishioka and Yasutaka Uchiyama 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in the pivotal doubles rubber on Saturday. The host country is looking to avenge a 2013 away loss against Japan and prevent the visiting team from remaining in the World Group for the third consecutive year. Kei Nishikori will attempt to push the tie to a decisive fifth rubber against Santiago Giraldo in Sunday’s first reverse single rubber.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 1, GERMANY 2
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – Hard (Outdoors)
Germany is a win away from returning to the Davis Cup World Group in 2016 after Philipp Kohlschreiber and Philipp Petzschner downed Victor Estrella Burgos and Jose Hernandez-Fernandez 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 43 minutes on Saturday. On Sunday, Kohlschreiber has a chance to clinch the tie for the visiting team against Estrella Burgos in the first reverse single rubber.
