US advance, but all to play for in Spain-Germany Davis Cup tie

Davis Cup

The United States booked their place in the Davis Cup semi-finals with victory over Belgium, while Germany will take a 2-1 lead into Sunday’s singles against Spain after they edged the doubles.

Americans Jack Sock and Ryan Harrison came from a set down to beat Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 5-7, 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 in Nashville and secure their place in the last four.

It gave the 32-time Davis Cup winners, who will face Croatia or Kazakhstan, a 3-0 lead after John Isner and Sam Querrey won their singles ties on Friday.

In Valencia, Spain and Germany started Saturday’s tie at 1-1 after Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev won their opening matches, but Tim Puetz and Jan-Lennard Struff claimed a stunning five-set win over Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez.

The Germans looked to be cruising to victory after they took the first two sets, but the Spaniards hit back before the visitors roared to a 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (4-7), 7-5 victory.

It means that Nadal will have to win his match against Zverev on Sunday morning to give the hosts, who have won their last 27 home ties, a chance of winning the rubber. Should he win, then it will be all level when David Ferrer takes on Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Defending champions France will also start the final day’s action with a 2-1 lead after Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut beat Italy’s Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-3, 6-1.

“It’s very satisfying winning that match for the team,” Herbert told DavisCup.com. “We’re obviously very happy to get the point and hopefully the boys can get the job done in the singles.”

Lucas Pouille and Fognini will kick off Sunday’s procedings in the singles before Andreas Seppi and Jeremy Chardy take to the court, if needed.

In the other tie, Croatia kept their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals alive as Ivan Dodig and Nikola Mektic beat Kazakhstan’s Timur Khabibulin and Aleksandr Nedovyesov 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

Kazakhstan lead the tie 2-1 after they won both the singles matches on Friday.

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