Davis Cup: Quick lead for Spain, stunning upset for Croatia

MURCIA - Spain produced a quick-fire 2-0 win to move close to a fifth Davis Cup tennis final in 10 years, while the Czech Republic had to work nearly 12 hours to secure a lead over Croatia Friday at the Davis Cup World Group semi-finals.

Substitutes David Ferrer and Juan Carlos Ferrero came up with easy wins to send holder Spain surging to 2-0 over Israel.

Ferrer, replacing Fernando Verdasco, hero of the 2008 final over Argentina, got the hosts off to a fast start, pounding Harel Levy 6-1, 6-4, 6-3. It was equally straightforward for teammate Juan Carlos Ferrero, fast approaching his 30th birthday.

The former number one was merciless as he played in place of injured Rafael Nadal for a 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 thrashing of Dudi Sela.

“It wasn’t as comfortable as it might have looked,” said Ferrer, who was watched in victory by both Nadal and Verdasco. “It was hard to finish off points on such a slow (clay) court.”

Spain are well-placed to wrap up a spot in a second straight final after beating Argentina last December for the title.

Spain was to field Feliciano Lopez and Tommy Robredo against the Israeli pair of Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich.

Ferrero broke seven times in the two-and-a-half hour encounter as he dominated against the 140th-ranked Levy.

In Porec, Croatia, Radek Stepanek denied Ivo Karlovic 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (2-7), 16-14 after one minute short of six hours, the Croatian loser firing 78 aces. That performance broke the Davis Cup record by 31 and the world record by 23.

By that time, it was the fourth longest match in Davis Cup, with 82 games played; it was also the joint-longest match in games since the tiebreak was introduced to Davis Cup in 1989.

“Emotionally it was the best ever,” said Stepanek. “The tennis wasn’t the type of tennis that people love to watch, it was kind of boring but I knew what to expect and I pulled through and I am very happy.”

“It was like was going to put you in front of a wall and shoot at you, it was feeling like that,” said Stepanek. “I knew he was going to serve incredibly well and I was expecting it but I said to be patient and wait for my chances.”

The dejected Karlovic added: “It was a really close match, it was long and I had match points,” said Karlovic. “I could also have won … I don’t know, that’s it.”

Thomas Berdych gave the visitors a 2-0 lead as he defeated Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 as the day ended after midnight and the doubles looming within hours.