mtenis.com.pl

Nadal draws Spain level in Valencia on comeback
ITALY 1, FRANCE 1
Venue: Valletta Cambiaso ASD, Genoa, ITA (clay - outdoor)

Lucas Pouille withstood a strong comeback effort to beat Italy’s Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1 in Genoa.

The World No. 11 began well, breaking six times en route to a two-set lead, but Seppi fought back in front of his home fans to force a decider. Not to be denied, Pouille re-established control and raced to victory in the fifth set to secure defending champion France a 1-0 lead.

“The emotions are the maximum,” Pouille told DavisCup.com. “It's great to win that type of match. I was two sets up, he came back; that was so tough for me in the fourth set. I tried to fight as hard as possible and in the end I decided to be more aggressive and I was very happy at the finish.”

Fabio Fognini levelled the tie at 1-1 going into Saturday’s doubles rubber, coming from a set down to beat Jeremy Chardy 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.

The Italian won 70 per cent of points behind his first serve in the three-hour, 31-minute encounter to improve to 15-2 in Davis Cup singles rubbers on clay. Simone Bolelli and Paolo Lorenzi are scheduled to meet Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut on Saturday.

CROATIA 1, KAZAKHSTAN 0
Venue: Varazdin Arena, Varazdin, CRO (clay - indoor)

Marin Cilic began Croatia’s bid for a second Davis Cup World Group semi-finals appearance in three years with a dominant 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 win over Dmitry Popko.

The World No. 3 looked in fine form throughout the one-hour, 41-minute contest hitting 32 winners past the Kazakh to seal the first rubber in emphatic style. Cilic, who led Croatia to the Davis Cup final in 2016 (l. to Argentina), improves his Davis Cup singles record to 25-10.

Kazakh No. 1 Mikhail Kukushkin upset in-form Borna Coric 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-2 to end Day One with the teams tied at 1-1. Kukushkin broke the BNP Paribas Open semi-finalist on five occasions on his way to victory after three hours and 32 minutes. Ivan Dodig and Nikola Mektic are slated to meet Timur Khabibulin and Aleksandr Nedovyesov in the third rubber doubles on Saturday

Querrey gives United States 2-0 lead against defending finalist Belgium
SPAIN 1, GERMANY 1
Venue: Plaza de Toros de Valencia, Valencia, ESP (clay- outdoor)

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal returned to action for the first time since the Australian Open on Friday, beating Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 in Valencia.

The Spaniard hit 28 forehand winners throughout the two-hour, 33-minute clash at the bullring venue to score his 23rd consecutive Davis Cup singles victory and level the tie at 1-1. “It's positive of course, winning in straight sets,” Nadal told DavisCup.com. “It was a solid match. I feel comfortable back on the clay.

”It's always special to play at home at a bullring stadium, it's very unique. It's a great feeling to be back, coming back from injuries is always difficult, but it's great to be in front of my crowd on a very memorable day. I'm very happy with the match.”

You May Also Like: Pouille, Fognini Win On Day One
Nadal was under pressure to deliver a crucial first point for the home side after Alexander Zverev secured the opening point of the quarter-final with a convincing 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win over David Ferrer.

Despite dropping serve on five occasions, the World No. 4 broke the Spanish veteran 10 times to earn three-time champion Germany an early lead in eastern Spain after one hour and 55 minutes. The Miami Open presented by Itaú finalist moves to 3-0 in 2018 Davis Cup play after wins over Australia’s Alex de Minaur and Nick Kyrgios in the first round.

“I am just happy to get the result,” said Zverev. “I played more aggressively as the match went on. It is my first clay-court match in a very long time so it was great to find my rhythm so quickly.”

Germany is bidding to become the first team to beat Spain at home since Brazil in 1999, with Spain winning its past 26 ties on home soil.

USA 2, BELGIUM 0
Venue: Curb Event Center, Nashville, USA (hard - indoor)

John Isner won the biggest title of his career five days ago at the Miami Open presented by Itau. And the confidence from that triumph shows.

Despite being on the verge of going down two sets to one against Belgian Joris De Loore in Friday's first rubber of this quarter-final tie, the American found a way to win, saving two set points in a third-set tie-break before coming out victorious against the World No. 319 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(8), 6-4 in three hours, 14 minutes.

“I thought my opponent played well and I had to play well to beat him," Isner told DavisCup.com. "It was a tough match for me personally but more important than that, I’m very happy our team is up one nothing, we got off to a great start.”

It is Isner's seventh consecutive tour-level victory after beginning 2018 2-6 at the tour-level. It is also the 32-year-old's second Davis Cup win of the year, after defeating Serbian Dusan Lajovic in a fifth-set tie-break in February.

Sam Querrey gave the United States a 2-0 lead heading into Saturday's doubles rubber when he defeated Ruben Bemelmans 6-1, 7-6(5), 7-5 in two hours, eight minutes. The American, who saved the lone break point he faced in the match, extends his FedEx ATP Head2Head record against the Belgian to 2-0 after also beating the left-hander at 2015 Nice in straight sets.

Belgium, which advanced to the Davis Cup final in two of the past three years led by 2017 Nitto Finals runner-up David Goffin, is in jeopardy of suffering a quarter-final exit. Americans Ryan Harrison and Jack Sock, who have both qualified for the season finale in doubles in the past, are slated to play Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen on Saturday.