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March 7, 2010

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Paes, Bhupathi cut Russian lead


MAHESH Bhupathi and Leander Paes beat Igor Kunitsyn and Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in yesterday's doubles to reduce Russia's lead over India to 2-1 in the first-round series of the Davis Cup World Group in Moscow.

Bhupathi and Paes have won 10 grand slam doubles titles between them and are unbeaten in 23 consecutive Davis Cup doubles matches.

Kunitsyn and Gabashvili had never paired for a match before yesterday.

The Indian duo saved all five break points they faced and converted five of their own six chances to close the match in 1 hour, 36 minutes.

On Friday, Kunitsyn and Mikhail Youzhny won the opening singles against Somdev Devvarman and Rohan Bopanna, respectively, to give Russia a 2-0 lead.

On Friday, Spain's David Ferrer dispatched Marco Chiudinelli in straight sets to level the champion's first-round tie against Switzerland at 1-1 in Logrono.

World No. 2 Novak Djokovic fired Serbia to a 2-0 lead over the United States in Belgrade with a 6-2, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3 victory over Sam Querrey, after compatriot Viktor Troicki's hard-fought win over John Isner, also in four sets.

Victories for Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga put France 2-0 up at home to Germany, and last year's finalist Czech Republic also opened up a 2-0 lead in Belgium.

Stanislas Wawrinka, leading the Swiss in the absence of world No. 1 Roger Federer, drew first blood when he beat Nicolas Almagro 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Backed by the noisy home support, Ferrer then fought off stiff resistance from the 56th-ranked Chiudinelli in the second set before completing a 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-1 victory.



 

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