Soderling Gives Sweden Early Lead; Troicki Trumps Isner

© AFP / Getty ImagesIvo Karlovic fired 36 aces... but also showed touch when needed.

Sweden 1, Argentina 1

World No. 7 Robin Soderling gave seven-time champion Sweden a 1-0 lead in its first-round clash against Argentina by defeating Eduardo Schwank 6-1, 7-6(0), 7-5 in two hours and 30 minutes Friday in Stockholm.

The No. 1 Swede fired 17 aces and converted five of the 13 break point chances he created to clinch his ninth Davis Cup singles victory. “I started the match really well, played an excellent first set and then in the second I maybe didn’t move as well and let him dictate the points a little bit more," Soderling said. "He played well – he surprised me in the second and third sets because he was serving well and mixing his game up well with some serve and volley. He played a good match."

Leonardo Mayer fired 28 aces in a 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 win over Joachim Johansson to level the tie at 1-1.  Former World No. 9 Johansson was playing his first Davis Cup match in three years.

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Croatia 2, Ecuador 0

Ivo Karlovic fired 36 aces as he secured a 1-0 lead for Croatia over Ecuador Friday on indoor hard courts in Varazdin. The 6’10’’ Karlovic lost serve just once as he battled past the 33-year-old Nicolas Lapentti 6-2, 5-7, 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-4 in three hours and 45 minutes.

Marin Cilic wasted little time in putting the host nation ahead 2-0 with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win over Giovanni Lapentti. Cilic, who served 10 aces and won 83 per cent of points on his first serve, improved to a tour-level-best 18-2 record on the season.

"We are delighted to head into tomorrow’s doubles with a 2-0 lead,” Cilic said. “Hopefully, we will be able to finish the job on Saturday but we have to be fully focused because the Lapentti brothers showed today that they are not easy to play against.”

Serbia 2, U.S.A. 0

Viktor Troicki survived 21 aces from Davis Cup debutant John Isner to clinch a 7-6(4), 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-4 win in 3 hrs., 36 mins to give Serbia a 1-0 lead over the U.S.A. on indoor clay in Belgrade. 

ATP World No. 2 Novak Djokovic gave the host nation a formidable 2-0 lead when he steadied after dropping the third set to defeat Sam Querrey 6-2. 7-6(4) 2-6, 6-3. Djokovic needed five match points in the final game before closing out the match with a crushing off-forehand as Querrey fought to the bitter end.

The win was Djokovic’s first Davis Cup victory since 2008, when he defeated Dominik Hrbaty in a play-off tie. In his lone appearance last year Djokovic lost both live rubbers against Spaniards David Ferrer and Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals.