Article

  • Russia ahead of Serbia in Davis Cup 2-0

    2/9/08 9:52 AM | Cheryl Murray
    - With illness and injury besetting the Serbian Davis Cup team, Russia was able to win the first two rubbers.

    Janko Tipsarevic, the number 2 Serb player, pulled out last week with an injury and was replaced with 114 ranked Viktor Troicki. But the bigger disappointment was the illness of world number 3, and Australian Open champion, Novak Djokovic. Djokovic failed to practice for three days because of the virus and was unable to take the court earlier today against Mikhail Youzhny. He was replace by Nenad Zimonjic, a doubles specialist who it was discovered later was also ill.

    Youzhny def Zimonjic 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4

    Despite being ill, Zimonjic played a beautiful first set. Youzhny, a player who feeds off the pace of his opponent, seemed to have difficulty with the slower pace that Zimonjic set. The Serb kept him off balance enough to take the first set easily, and give him two break points against Youzhny's serve in the first game of the second set. The Russian reeled off seven straight points, and never gave Zimonjic another chance in the match.

    Davydenko def. Troicki 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2

    It may just have been the strangest 5 set scoreline I've ever seen. It seemed almost as though the first time a player was broken in a set, he simply gave up. Davydenko came into this rubber having lost his last several DC matches against players ranked far beneath him.

    Davydenko rolled through the first set with ease, and it seemed as though the match would easily go to the Russian. An early break in the second set gave Troicki confidence, and he dominated. Troicki also had an early break in the third set, and in the only “comeback” of the match, Davydenko managed to break back immediately and secure another break in the sixth game.

    The fourth set saw some amazing stuff from the Serb. He completely rolled over Davydenko and out-played him in every possible way. Davydenko admitted after the match that he was beginning to doubt that he would ever win another Davis Cup match. He was ultimately able to hold his game together and took the decisive fifth set at 6-2.

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Comments

Well Djokovic returned today, won the doubles with Zimonjic to keep the tie alive

Have little doubt he'll beat Davydenko in straights tomorrow, the Russian's low on confidence and form...however it'll all come down to Youzhny-Troicki. As he showed against Nadal in the AO, Troicki's yet another Serbian to watch but can't see Youzhny losing it

DavidC , 2/10/08 12:42 AM


Tipsy practiced today. The Serbian DC captain said he might play tomorrow. This tie gets more and more interesting.

cherylmurray , 2/10/08 3:28 AM



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