Downs Uzbek Isamilov in four-set thriller
Vishnu Vardhan scripted a clinical singles victory and then combined with Divij Sharan to win the heart-stopping doubles rubber as India's young guns lived up to the expectations by winning the Davis Cup Group 1 relegation play-off tie against New Zealand in Chandigarh on Saturday.
Early morning heavy showers delayed the start of the Davis Cup tie between India and New Zealand in Chandigarh on Friday.
With Andy Roddick retired, Mardy Fish unavailable and Spain apparently unbeatable at home on clay, the United States look distant second favourites when the two nations clash in the Davis Cup semi-final in Gijon starting on Friday.
The Czech Republic beat holders Spain 3-2 to win the Davis Cup for the first time as an independent nation when Radek Stepanek overcame Nicolas Almagro in four tough sets before a raucous home crowd on Sunday.
The Czech Republic beat holders Spain 3-2 to win the Davis Cup for the first time as an independent nation when Radek Stepanek overcame Nicolas Almagro in four tough sets before a raucous home crowd on Sunday.
The Japanese are not in the Indian capital with towering expectations or claims, they have lost 17 of the 20 Davis Cup ties against India, and don't have games tailor-made for the grass court.
Novak Djokovic's latest triumph at the US Open saw him equal Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
Holders Czech Republic took a 2-1 lead over hosts Serbia in the Davis Cup final after Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek romped to a 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(4) win over Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac in Saturday's doubles.
Australia has pinned its hopes on ageing warhorse Lleyton Hewitt to steer the country back into the Davis Cup's world group, naming him in both singles and doubles for their playoff against Belgium in Cairns this week.
World No 15 India will now compete in the Zone Group action later this year.
India's Davis Cup captain Mahesh Bhupathi on Thursday defended the selection of N Sriram Balaji ahead of higher-ranked Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Purav Raja for the tie against Serbia.
Bringing in his wealth of experience, Leander Paes combined with debutant Purav Raja to keep India afloat by winning the do-or-die doubles rubber against Korea on Saturday, but it will take a super heroic effort to save the hosts from a defeat in the Davis Cup tie.
Nalbandian's spectacular performance in the Davis Cup final against Russia over the weekend suggests that he is ready to challenge the tennis elite.
World No 7 Tomas Berdych will lead the Czech Davis Cup team in their semi-final clash against Argentina later this month.
Britain celebrated their first Davis Cup victory over the United States since 1935 when Andy Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6, 6-7, 6-1, 6-3 on Sunday in the World Group first-round tie in San Diego.
Hosts Japan sailed into the Davis Cup quarter-finals for the first time with a 3-1 victory against injury-plagued Canada on Sunday.
In his place, Tommy Robredo has been called up alongside David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco.
Bob and Mike Bryan crushed Russians Nikolay Davydenko and Igor Andreev 7-6, 6-4, 6-2 to give the Americans an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five match final.
India will take on Davis Cup finalists Serbia in the opening round of next year's tournament. The Indians retained their place in the World Group -- having lost to Russia earlier in the year -- after a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Brazil in the play-off tie in Chennai last Sunday.
The ever reliable combine of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi ensured India's interest in the Davis Cup World Group play-off in Chennai remained alive with a straight sets win over the Brazilian combine of Bruno Soares and Marcelo Melo on Saturday.
Doubles specialists Michael Llodra and Julien Benneteau combined to fire France into the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup Saturday with a battling four-set win over Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber and Christopher Kas in Toulon. The victory gave the nine-times winners an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five tie and set up a last-eight clash against champions Spain or Switzerland in July.
If the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decides to follow the recommendations on reforms suggested by the Justice RM Lodha committee, one could soon find stadiums in Pune, Nagpur, and Rajkot hosting Indian hockey team's 'Test' matches or tennis team's Davis Cup games.
World number five David Ferrer cruised to a 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 win over Tomas Berdych to put defending champions Spain level with the Czech Republic at 2-2 in the Davis Cup final on Sunday.
