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March 8, 2010

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Spain, Russia advance to Davis Cup last eight

DAVID Ferrer sent Spain into the Davis Cup quarterfinals by beating Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 in the first reverse singles.

Ferrer looked in control throughout yesterday's match in Logrono and broke twice in the third set before serving out the victory to give Spain an unassailable 3-1 lead.

The hosts went 2-1 up on Saturday after Tommy Robredo and Marcel Granollers beat Wawrinka and Yves Allegro in the doubles.

Spain is attempting to win its third straight Davis Cup title and is now unbeaten in 19 home ties dating back to 1999.

It will play France in the quarterfinals on July 9-11.

France's unbeatable lead was cut 3-1 yesterday after Jo Wilfried Tsonga's unbeaten run in the Davis Cup ended when he was forced to retire with a sprained ankle against Simon Greul of Germany in Toulon.

France had already qualified for the last eight after Michael Llodra and Julien Benneteau beat Philipp Kohlschreiber and Christopher Kas on Saturday for an unbeatable 3-0 lead.

Tsonga retired while trailing 4-6, 6-2, 1-0.

In Moscow, Russia also advanced after Mikhail Youzhny defeated Somdev Devvarman 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 in the first reverse singles yesterday to seal an unbeatable 3-1 lead over India.

Youzhny, ranked 13, dominated from the start, breaking his opponent six times while never losing his serve to close out the match in less than two hours. "Actually it was tough to play today," Youzhny said. "He had nothing to (lose) and played for every point."

Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes steamrolled Igor Kunitsyn and Teimuraz Gabashvili in Saturday's doubles to narrow the gap to 2-1. Gabashvili lost to Bopanna in a meaningless last singles yesterday, 6-7 (5), 4-6.

Russia has not lost at home since the 1995 final, when Pete Sampras won all three of his matches to lead the United States to victory. It will play Sweden or Argentina next.

Last year's finalist Czech Republic and 2005 winner Croatia also went through to the quarters on Saturday.

Czechs Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek followed up Friday's singles successes with a straight-sets doubles win over Belgium's Steve Darcis and Olivier Rochus in Bree.

In Varazdin, Croatian pair Marin Cilic and Ivo Karlovic, who won their singles on Friday, teamed up to see off Ecuadorian brothers Nicolas and Giovanni Lapentti.

 

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