Iron-Man Berdych Clinches For Czechs; Kazakhstan Beats Austria

ATPWorldTour.com reviews Sunday's play in the Davis Cup World Group first-round ties.

SWITZERLAND  2, CZECH REPUBLIC 3
Hard - Indoor; Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland

One day on from facing each other in a record-breaking seven-hour doubles match, Tomas Berdych and Stanislas Wawrinka once again met each other across the net, with Berdych claiming the crucial 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5) victory to seal the tie for Czech Republic. Wawrinka fought fatigue to mount a fight back, and led 5-2 in the tie-break, but could not force a fifth set as Berdych reeled off five successive points to prevail in three hours and 15 minutes. 

"I was really proud to be there on the court," said Wawrinka. "It was an amazing atmosphere today. I was really close in doubles and today was really close again. I tried to come back in the match, but I think today Berdych played better than me and deserved to win."

On Saturday, Berdych and Lukas Rosol had beaten Wawrinka and Marco Chiudinelli in the longest ever Davis Cup match at seven hours and one minute to give the Czechs a 2-1 lead. Czech Republic won the Davis Cup for the second time last year, beating Spain in the final. The Czechs go onto face Kazakhstan away in the quarter-finals.

"It was an incredible weekend," said Berdych. "Yesterday was a part of history and today was a really tough one. I've played [Wawrinka] many times and actually he's not one of the opponents that I like to play. He has a really dangerous game. But it was my best matches with him. It was a team effort to get ready for the match and I was feeling good from the first point. If I'd lost the fourth set, I would have been able to keep going."

Henri Laaksonen earned a consolation victory for the host nation, rallying back from losing a bagel first set to beat Jiri Vesely 0-6, 6-3, 6-1.

KAZAKHSTAN 3, AUSTRIA 1
Clay - Indoor; National Tennis Centre, Astana, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan wrapped up a 3-1 victory over Austria on Sunday as Andrey Golubev came from a set down to beat Jurgen Melzer 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Austria had stayed alive in the tie by winning Saturday’s doubles, but Kazakhstan secured a quarter-final spot for the second time in three years as Golubev prevailed against Melzer in two hours and 32 minutes. World No. 187 Golubev had not won a match all season going into the Davis Cup, but won both his singles matches during the weekend to lead the host nation to victory.

"I just really wanted to win this match and I was putting a lot of effort into my serve and my returns," said Golubev. "This certainly wasn’t a simple game. I played all three days but I still feel pretty fresh. I think it was tougher for me mentally."

FRANCE 5, ISRAEL 0
Hard - Indoor; Kindarena, Rouen, France

Nine-time champion France completed a 5-0 clean sweep of Israel. Michael Llodra defeated Noam Okun 6-3, 7-6(5) in the first of the reverse singles, before Richard Gasquet dismissed Amir Weintraub 6-4, 6-3. France is through to the quarter-finals for the fourth successive year and is due to face Argentina in an away tie.

BELGIUM 2, SERBIA 3
Clay - Indoor; Spiroudome de Charleroi, Charleroi, Belgium

Belgium won the two dead rubbers on Sunday to earn some consolation in a 3-2 defeat to 2010 champion Serbia. David Goffin beat Boris Pashanski 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, before Steve Darcis defeated doubles specialist Nenad Zimonjic 6-2, 6-4.