Spain, Czech Republic Wrap Up Tie Wins

© Getty ImagesIvan Dodig and Ivo Karlovic celebrate with members of the Croatia squad.

A round-up of the eight Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group first-round ties on Saturday.

SPAIN 3, KAZAKHSTAN 0
Clay, Indoors - Oviedo, Spain

Spain advanced to the quarter-final stage for the sixth year in a row Saturday, following Marcel Granollers’ and Marc Lopez’ 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 win against Evgeny Korolev and Yuri Schukin to give Spain an unassailable 3-0 lead over Kazakhstan. "When you need to choose a team you need to see what’s best for you, and we do believe a lot in Marcel and in Marc as well, and I think they played amazing doubles together," said Spanish Davis Cup captain Alex Corretja.

"They communicate each other very well, you can see the way they move, the way they act, the way they behave on the court which is fantastic and I’m very happy for them."

In a comprehensive performance, Granollers and Lopez broke the Kazaks six times and did not face a break point to claim victory in one hour and 46 minutes. "We are very happy [with] how we played," said Granollers. "I think we played a very good match. It was difficult, but everything was good."

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CZECH REPUBLIC 3, ITALY 0
Hard, Indoors - Ostrava, Czech Republic

Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek followed up their singles victories on Friday by joining forces to dismiss Daniele Bracciali and Potito Starace 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to lock up the first-round tie for the Czech Republic over Italy 3-0.

The Czechs saved all four break points they faced in the one hour and 58 minute victory. "We’ve played enough matches to know each other well on court, where the other guy’s moving, what he’s doing. So that’s a big advantage," Berdych said. "We’re both singles players and we can bring our best games to the [doubles] court."

JAPAN 1, CROATIA 2
Hard, Indoor - Hyogo, Japan

Ivan Dodig and Ivo Karlovic gave 2005 champion Croatia a 2-1 lead against Japan on Saturday when the pair beat Tatsuma Ito and Yuichi Sugita 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Karlovic and Dodig hit 24 aces and 67 winners in the two-hour and 50-minute encounter. The Croatians converted three of 14 break point opportunities.

Kei Nishikori will look to salvage Japan's bid by beating Dodig in the first reverse singles rubber on Sunday. Go Soeda is scheduled to face Karlovic in the fifth rubber. Japan is competing in the World Group for the first time since 1985. It has not won a tie at this level since 1921, its debut year in the competition. 

Read 'The World According To Ivo' & 'Determined Dodig' In DEUCE

SERBIA 2, SWEDEN 1
Hard, Indoor - Nis, Serbia

Johan Brunstrom and Robert Lindstedt kept Sweden's hopes alive against 2010 champion Serbia, topping Janko Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic 3-6 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(3), 10-8 in four hours and eight minutes to put visiting Sweden on the board.

Michael Ryderstedt will look to continue the Swede's comeback bid when he faces Tipsarevic in the first reverse singles rubber Sunday.