Outsiders Kazakhstan stayed alive in their Davis Cup quarter-final against holders Czech Republic after winning the doubles rubber on Saturday.

The Czechs were looking to wrap up the tie after winning both of their singles matches on Friday, but Andrey Golubev and Yuri Schukin stunned Radek Stepanek and Jan Hajek 7-6 6-4 6-3 to take the contest into a third day.

Stepanek teamed up with Hajek for the first time after his regular partner Tomas Berdych pulled out of the tie with a shoulder injury.

After losing the first set in a tie-breaker 7-2, the Czechs were gradually outplayed by the newly-made pair of Golubev and Schukin.

“We’re a young team, playing against the Davis Cup champions and nobody thinks we can beat them,” said Russia-born Schukin. “But we battled hard for every single point and never thought of giving up.”

Today, Czech Lukas Rosol is scheduled to meet 156th-ranked Mikhail Kukushkin in the first reverse singles while Hajek must face Golubev in the last rubber.

Other results: Canada vs Italy 1-1; Argentina vs France 2-1; US vs Serbia 1-1.

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