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.
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.
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.)] .
