Serbia shrug off Djokovic blow

Davis Cup champions Serbia shrugged off the injury-enforced absence of Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic to take a 2-0 lead over Sweden in their quarter-final yesterday and edge closer to a semi-final against Argentina.

World number one Djokovic pulled out of his scheduled clash against world number 355 Ervin Eleskovic citing a knee injury.

Despite the setback, Serbia were in control at the end of the first day in Halmstad against the seven-time champions with world number 16 Viktor Troicki beating Michael Ryderstedt 6-3, 6-1, 6-7 (6/8), 7-5 in the first singles rubber.

World number 29 Janko Tipsarevic then stepped in for Djokovic and enjoyed a comfortable afternoon when debutant Eleskovic retired with a knee injury after the Serb had established a 6-2, 1-0 lead.

The Serbia team have yet to decide whether Djokovic will play in the tomorrow’s reverse singles.

In Buenos Aires, Argentina reached the semi-finals after Juan Ignacio Chela and Eduardo Schwank won their doubles rubber to establish a winning 3-0 lead over Kazakhstan.

Chela and Schwank raced past Yuriy Schukin and Evgeny Korolev 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 to put the encounter to bed and set up a September meeting with either holders Serbia or Sweden.

In Stuttgart, nine-time champions France were 2-0 ahead of Germany after a roller-coaster first day.

Richard Gasquet came from two sets to love down to defeat Florian Mayer 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 before Gael Monfils beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.

In group play, Roger Federer came from a set behind to beat Rui Machado 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 as Switzerland took a 2-0 lead over Portugal in Berne in their Europe/Africa second round tie.