Belgium and Argentina secure Davis Cup semi-finals spots
Astro Arena
Julai 19, 2015 02:25 MYT
Julai 19, 2015 02:25 MYT
Argentina and Belgium will face each other in the Davis Cup semi-finals.
Ruben Bemelmans and Kimmer Coppejans secured Belgium a first Davis Cup semi-final place for 16 years and they will now face Argentina, who ended Serbia's hopes of a dramatic comeback.
Bemelmans and Coppejans faced Canadian duo Daniel Nestor and Adil Shamasdin and were initially given a tough time, edging the first set before going down 6-3 in the second.
But the Belgians were largely untroubled in the final two sets, taking charge of the match and ultimately rounding things off to win 7-5 3-6 6-4 6-3, sparking jubilant scenes among the home fans as Belgium went 3-0 up in the tie.
Argentina's passage was secured in even more straightforward circumstances, as Carlos Berlocq and Leonardo Mayer crushed Serbian counterparts Viktor Troicki and Nenad Zimonjic 6-2 6-4 6-1 in Buenos Aires
The Serbs have looked lost in Argentina without the services of Novak Djokovic, who was unable to feature on the back of winning Wimbledon, and Saturday was no different.
Argentina did not even face a single break point and had little trouble defeating Troicki and Zimonjic in straight sets, wrapping up a 3-0 victory to set up a semi clash with Belgium.
Great Britain could clinch their semi-final berth on Sunday after brothers Andy and Jamie Murray triumphed 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 in their duel with French pair Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Nicolas Mahut at Queen's Club.
It was by no means easy for the Britons, who got off to a poor start as Andy Murray saw his serve broken in the very first game, ultimately costing the opening set.
They finally found their rhythm, though, taking the second set 6-3 and, although Andy appeared to have picked up a groin injury in the third-set tie-break, he picked himself up and inspired a 7-5 win.
Tsonga and Mahut had seemingly run out of answers and the Murray brothers blasted their way to victory in the final set, conceding just a single game and giving Andy the opportunity to seal semi-final progression against Gilles Simon on Sunday.