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Davis Cup | Russia knocks holder Spain out

November 29, 2021 10:48 pm | Updated 10:49 pm IST - Paris

Doubles pair, Medvedev clinch tie after Rublev loss

Medvedev led the Russian rally to victory against Spain on Sunday.

Russia knocked reigning champion Spain out of the Davis Cup on Sunday to set up a quarterfinal against Sweden.

The Russians’ tie against the depleted Spanish team came down to a late-night doubles encounter in Madrid. Aslan Karatsev and World No. 5 Andrey Rublev won 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 against Marcel Granollers and Feliciano Lopez to win Group A and deprive the Spanish team of the chance to play in front of a home crowd in Madrid on Thursday.

The Russians, playing as the Russian Tennis Federation because of sanctions against Russian sport for doping, made a bad start when Lopez beat Rublev 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

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US Open champion Daniil Medvedev then stepped up to bring the tie level with a 6-2, 7-6(3) win over Pablo Carreno Busta.

Britain booked its place in the last eight with a come-from-behind victory over the Czech Republic on Sunday and will play Germany in Innsbruck on Tuesday.

Kazakhstan and Croatia also reached the last eight.

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The results: In Madrid: Group A: Russian Tennis Federation 2 bt Spain 1 [Andrey Rublev lost to Feliciano Lopez 2-6, 6-3, 6-4; Daniil Medvedev bt Pablo Carreno Busta 6-2, 7-6(3); Aslan Karatsev & Andrey Rublev bt Marcel Granollers & Lopez 4-6, 6-2, 6-4].

Group B: Kazakhstan 3 bt Canada 0 [Mikhail Kukushkin bt Brayden Schnur 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-5; Alexander Bublik bt Vasek Pospisil 6-2, 7-6(6); Andrey Golubev & Aleksandr Nedovyesov bt Peter Polansky & Schnur 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-1].

In Innsbruck: Group C: Britain 2 bt Czech Republic 1 [Dan Evans lost to Tomas Machac 6-2, 7-5; Cameron Norrie bt Jiri Lehecka 6-1, 2-6, 6-1; Joe Salisbury & Neal Skupski bt Machac & Jiri Vesely 6-4, 6-2].

Group F: Germany 2 bt Austria 1 [Dominik Koepfer lost to Jurij Rodionov 6-1, 7-5; Jan-Lennard Struff bt Dennis Novak 7-5, 6-4; Kevin Krawietz & Tim Puetz bt Oliver Marach & Philipp Oswald 6-3, 6-4].

In Turin: Group D: Croatia 2 bt Hungary 1 [Nino Serdarusic bt Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 6-4; Zsombor Piros bt Marin Cilic 4-6, 7-5, 6-4; Nikola Mektic & Mate Pavic bt Fabian Marozsan & Peter Nagy 7-6(6), 6-2].

Group E: Colombia 2 bt United States 1 [Nicolas Mejia lost to Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(7); Daniel Elahi Galan bt John Isner 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5); Juan-Sebastian Cabal & Robert Farah bt Isner & Jack Sock 3-0 (retd.)] .

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