Madrid (AFP)
World number one Novak Djokovic led Serbia to the semi-finals of the Davis Cup, after turning their deficit against Kazakhstan into a 2-1 victory in Madrid.
The 2010 champions began the confrontation with Kazakhstan with a 0-1 deficit, after Miumier Kitsmanovich lost in the first singles match against Mikhail Kukushkin, ranked 182 in the world, 6-7, 6-4, 6-7 after a marathon match.
But Djokovic, who and his country exited from the quarter-finals in its last edition in 2019 against Russia, “postponed the 2020 edition due to Corona”, equalized with an easy victory over Alexander Bublik 6-3 6-4, after snatching a game in each set to serve his opponent, and was That is enough to make the doubles match decisive to decide which team will face Croatia in the semi-finals.
“The work is not over, we hope to win the doubles match,” Djokovic said after winning the singles match, which was difficult for him and his compatriot Nikola Cacic against Andrey Golubev and Alexander Nedoviesov.
The Serbians started the confrontation well by deciding the first set 6-2, but they lost the second with the same result before resolving matters in the third 6-3 without drama, unlike what happened in 2019 in Madrid also when Serbia lost to Russia in the decisive third set of a match Doubles 8-10.
Serbia will now face Croatia in a heated confrontation that perfectly fits the traditional Davis Cup atmosphere against their arch-rival.
By qualifying for the semi-finals, Serbia ensured its presence in the Davis Cup finals for next year, as is the case for all the other three teams that will reach this round, three of which are known, Germany and Croatia in addition to Germany, with the last card to be decided Thursday between Russia and Sweden.
Serbia reached the quarter-finals between the two best second-placed teams as a result of finishing Group F behind Germany.
The matches until the quarter-finals were distributed to three cities, the Spanish capital, Madrid, Austrian Innsbruck, “behind closed doors after imposing a comprehensive closure due to the pandemic,” and Turin.
And qualified for the quarter-finals, the first place in the six groups (Russia, which participates under the name of the Russian Federation, against the background of the systematic doping scandal, Kazakhstan, Britain, Croatia, Italy and Germany), along with the two best teams in second place (Sweden and Serbia).
.