The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Youzhny puts Russia up

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Youzhny puts Russia up

MOSCOW: Mikhail Youzhny gave Russia a 1-0 lead in its Davis Cup World Group first round tie against Serbia on Friday defeating stand-in Nenad Zimonjic 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Doubles specialist Zimonjic was drafted in at the last minute to replace Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, who was forced out with flu. Zimonjic, who won the Australian mixed doubles crown this year along with China’s Sun Tiantian, started the match with an immediate break while Youzhny appeared short on concentration.

The Russian, ranked eighth in the world, broke back immediately to level, but the 31-year-old veteran Zimonjic broke twice again for a one-set lead in 28 minutes.

In the second set Youzhny managed to put his game back in place and he broke early to take a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Zimonjic, who is a lowly 689th in the ATP rankings, fought tooth and nail but failed to save the set as Youzhny fought off four break points in the seventh game to level at 1-1.

Halfway into the third set Zimonjic, who has not played any competitive singles matches since last April, ran out of gas allowing Youzhny to break twice to put himself two sets to one ahead.

In the fourth Youzhny broke again in the fifth game and had no difficulty holding on to his advantage to finish off the rubber in two hours 32 minutes.

Deadlocked

Meanwhile, Dudi Sela beat Jonas Bjorkman 7-6(8), 6-3, 6-1 but Thomas Johansson defeated Harel Levy 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 as Israel, playing at home, and Sweden ended day one at one-all in Ramat Hasharon.

In Sibiu, Romania, Richard Gasquet gave France a 1-0 lead over the host defeating Victor Hanescu 7-6(5), 6-4, 7-5.

The results: World Group: At Moscow: Russia leads Serbia 1-0 [Mikhail Youzhny bt Nenad Zimonjic 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4].

At Buenos Aires: Argentina leads Britain 1-0 [David Nalbandian bt Jamie Baker 6-1, 6-3, 6-3].

At Ramat Hasharon: Israel vs Sweden 1-1 [Dudi Sela bt Jonas Bjorkman 7-6(8), 6-3, 6-1; Harel Levy lost to Thomas Johansson 1-6, 1-6, 3-6].

At Braunschweig: Germany leads Korea 1-0 [Philipp Kohlschreiber bt An Jae-sung 6-2, 6-2, 6-2].

At Sibiu: Romania trails France 0-1 [Victor Hanescu lost to Richard Gasquet 6-7(5), 4-6, 5-7]. — Agencies

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