The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : France reaches final

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France reaches final

PARIS: Nine-time champion France eased into the Davis Cup final on Saturday, but Serbia's decision to throw World No. 2 Novak Djokovic into doubles action backfired against the Czech Republic.

France opened up an unassailable 3-0 lead in its semifinal against Argentina in Lyon when Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement defeated US Open semifinalists Horacio Zeballos and Eduardo Schwank 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.

Czhechs ahead

The Czechs were 2-1 ahead in Belgrade after Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek saw off Djokovic and Nenad Zimonjic 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-1.

“The key was that they were relaxed. The stakes were high,” said Serbia coach Bogdan Obradovic after Saturday's doubles before adding he has yet to decide who will play reverse singles on Sunday.

In the play-offs, which will decide who features in the World Group in 2011, Australia took a 2-1 lead over Belgium in Cairns when Lleyton Hewitt and Paul Hanley saw off Olivier Rochus and Ruben Bemelmans 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.

Kazakhstan reached the World Group for the first time by taking a 3-0 lead over Switzerland in Astana.

The results: Semifinals:

At Lyon: France 3 Argentina 0 (Michael Llodra bt Juan Monaco 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3; Gael Monfils bt David Nalbandian 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3; Arnaud Clement & Michael Llodra bt Eduardo Schwank & Horacio Zeballos 6-4, 7-5, 6-3).

At Belgrade: Serbia 1 Czech Republic 2 (Radek Stepanek bt Viktor Troicki 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4; Janko Tipsarevic bt Tomas Berdych 7-5, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(5); Novak Djokovic & Nenad Zimonjic lost to Tomas Berdych & Radek Stepanek 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-1).

Play-offs: At Bogota: Colombia 1 USA 1 (Mardy Fish bt Alejandro Falla 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Sam Querrey lost to Santiago Giraldo 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 ).

At Astana: Kazakhstan 3 Switzerland 0 (Andrey Golubev bt Marco Chiudinelli 6-4, 6-4, 6-4; Mikhail Kukushkin bt Stanislas Wawrinka 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3; Evgeny Korolev/Yuriy Schukin bt Yves Allegro/Michael Lammer 6-4, 6-3, 6-3) . — AFP

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