The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : France blanks Argentina

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 20, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Tennis

France blanks Argentina

LYON: Host France completed a whitewash victory over Argentina in their Davis Cup semifinal when Gilles Simon and Arnaud Clement won the reverse singles on Sunday. Simon beat Eduardo Schwank 7-6(5), 6-7(6), 6-3 while Clement dispatched Horacio Zeballos 7-5, 6-1.

Simon, the world number 41, struggled to break down his opponent, wasting two match points in the second set and converting just one of the five break points that came his way.

Having edged a tight first set in a tie-break, Simon lost control of the second set in the face of his opponent's more aggressive net play.

The Frenchman's serve was to prove an increasingly potent weapon, however, and he secured the decisive break of serve at 4-3 up in the third set, before clinching victory with an ace.

“It was difficult, particularly in the first set,” said Simon. “My head was really banging and I wasn't moving well. But I was able to rely on my serve today. I just didn't manage the second and third sets well.

Staying alive

Meanwhile in the other semifinals at Belgrade, Novak Djokovic beat Tomas Berdych in four sets to help host Serbia draw level with the Czech Republic 2-2.

The Czech Republic had takem a 2-1 lead on Saturday after Berdych and Radek Stepanek won the doubles against Nenad Zimonjic and Djokovic. The Czech duo fought back from a set down to win 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 and stay on course to reach their second successive final.

World Group results:

Semifinals: At Lyon: France 5 bt Argentina 0 (Arnaud Clement bt Horacio Zeballos 7-5, 6-1; Gilles Simon bt Eduardo Schwank 7-6(5), 6-7(6), 6-3).

At Belgrade: Serbia 2 level with Czech Republic 2 (Novak Djokovic bt Tomas Berdych 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4; Djokovic & Nenad Zimonjic lost to Berdych & Radek Stepanek 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-1).

Play-offs: At Astana: Kazakhstan bt Switzerland 5-0; At Bucharest: Romania bt Ecuador 5-0; At Stuttgart: Germany bt South Africa 5-0; At Lidkoping: Sweden bt Italy 3-2; At Bogota: Colombia 1 trails United States 1-2; At Tel Aviv: Israel tied with Austria 2-2; At Cairns: Australia leads Belgium 2-1 . — Agencies

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport