DJOKOVIC HELPS SERBIA JOIN FRANCE AS FIRST NATIONS THROUGH TO DAVIS CUP QUARTERFINALS BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 7th March 2015

DJOKOVIC HELPS SERBIA JOIN FRANCE AS FIRST NATIONS THROUGH TO DAVIS CUP QUARTERFINALS BY RICKY DIMON

epa04650751 Serbia's Novak Djokovic applauds after the singles match between Viktor Troicki of Serbia and Borna Coric of Croatia at the Davis Cup World Group first round tie between Serbia and Croatia in Kraljevo, Serbia, 06 March 2015. EPA/KOCA SULEJMANOVIC |

Novak Djokovic pulled double duty to take the suspense out of the first-round Davis Cup tie between Serbia and Croatia. Djokovic won his singles match on Friday then teamed up with Nenad Zimonjic to take Saturday’s doubles rubber in Kraljevo.

“I was very much aware of my young opponent’s quality,” the world No. 1 said following his 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Mate Delic on Friday. “He does have a lot of potential to be very good in the future. I enjoyed the atmosphere very much as I played for the first time in Kraljevo and this region in general. It was a full house and overall a very positive emotion.”

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball to Mate Delic of Croatia during their singles match of the Davis Cup World Group first round tie between Serbia and Croatia in Kraljevo, Serbia, 06 March 2015. EPA/KOCA SULEJMANOVIC

Viktor Troicki’s 4-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 comeback against Borna Coric gave Djokovic and Zimonjic an opportunity to clinch the overall win for the host nation on Saturday. That’s exactly what they did, beating Marin Draganja and Franco Skugor 6-3, 6-4, 6-1.

“It was very nice to be on the court with Novak,” Zimonjic reflected. “It was not easy for him to adjust to doubles because he doesn’t play doubles that often on the tour. I am really happy we played the way did and the longer the match went on the better we felt.”

France is the only other country through to the World Group quarterfinals after just two days of action. The remaining six ties will all be decided on Sunday.

Arguably the deepest team in tennis, France cruised past Germany 3-0 thanks to all four of its players. Following singles victories by Gilles Simon and Gael Monfils, Julien Benneteau and Nicolas Mahut won the doubles rubber. They defeated Andre Begemann and Benjamin Becker 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.

France’s Gael Monfils (R) is congratulated by Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber (L) after winning their singles match of the Davis Cup World Group first round tie between Germany and France in Frankfurt, Germany, 06 March 2015. EPA/ARNE DEDERT

“It was a perfect doubles for our team,” French captain Arnaud Clement commented. “Tennis matches, especially doubles matches, can turn very quickly. [Benneteau and Mahut] stayed focused until the last point and [I’m] very proud of them.”

Clement and company await either Great Britain or the United States in the last eight. Serbia will go up against the Brazil-Argentina winner.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Croatia, Davis Cup, France, Gael Monfils, Mate Delic, Novak Djokovic, Ricky Dimon, Serbia, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

March 7, 2015 at 9:57 pm

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suebforever says:

March 7, 2015 at 10:00 pm

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dusanVemic says:

March 7, 2015 at 11:54 pm

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ninak33 says:

March 7, 2015 at 11:56 pm

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