Last Updated: November 24, 2023, 03:30 IST
MALAGA, Spain:Novak Djokovic steered Serbia into the Davis Cup semi-finals with a simple 6-4 6-4 win over Britain’s Cameron Norrie to offer his crew a successful 2-0 lead on Thursday.
The 36-yr-previous world primary, trying to full a outstanding yr by serving to his nation win the Davis Cup for the second time, was imperious as he outclassed Norrie.
Serbia will face Italy on Saturday after Jannik Sinner impressed his crew to a comeback win over the Netherlands, the world quantity 4 successful his singles and a decisive doubles.
Britain, lacking the injured Andy Murray and Dan Evans, had banked on Jack Draper successful the opening singles towards Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic and their robust doubles partnership of Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski.
But world quantity 55 Kecmanovic produced a superb efficiency to beat Draper 7-6(2) 7-6(6) in a fierce battle.
That left Norrie needing to beat report 24-occasions Grand Slam champion Djokovic for the primary time in his profession to maintain the tie alive.
That by no means appeared doubtless, nonetheless, as Djokovic, who received three of the yr’s 4 Grand Slam titles and final week’s ATP Finals for a report seventh time, dissected the world quantity 18.
A single break of serve was sufficient for Djokovic within the opening set, the Serb silencing the raucous British followers with the scientific brilliance of his tennis.
Norrie dropped serve early within the second set however held on grimly as he tried to stall Djokovic’s march to victory.
It was futile in the long run, although, as Djokovic wrapped it up with a flurry of aces to maintain Serbia on track for a repeat of their 2010 triumph when Djokovic and his crew mates famously shaved off their hair after victory over France within the remaining.
Earlier, within the Martin Carpena Arena which has seen massive crowds for Final Eight, Italy stored alive their hopes of a primary Davis Cup title since 1976.
The Dutch moved forward as Botic van de Zandschulp received a titanic tussle towards Matteo Arnaldi 6-7(6) 6-3 7-6(7).
But the in-kind Sinner, crushed by Djokovic within the ATP Finals in Turin on Sunday, beat Tallon Griekspoor 7-6(3) 6-1 to ship the tie to a deciding doubles.
Sinner teamed up with Lorenzo Sonego to beat Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof 6-3 6-4 as Italy reached again-to-again semi-finals within the males’s crew competitors.
“It means a lot to me,” Sinner stated. “But more importantly we’re through to the semi-finals. It’s the first time I can experience this.”
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Reuters)
