British pair Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot defeated Canadians Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil in four sets in Ottawa to give Britain a 2-1 lead ahead of Sunday's reverse singles.
Rohan Bopanna put up a gallant fight against world number 18 Viktor Troicki before losing as India conceded a 0-1 lead against top seed and defending champions Serbia in the first round of the Davis Cup World Group tie in Novi Sad on Friday.
Rafael Nadal survived a spirited early attack from American Sam Querrey on Friday, before beating the Davis Cup debutant 6-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the opening semi-final rubber in Madrid.
Ivo Karlovic and Marin Cilic won five-set marathons at home to put Croatia 2-0 ahead of 32-time champions United States, while Israel stunned favoured Russia to also lead 2-0 in the Davis Cup quarter-finals on Friday. Champions Spain were held to 1-1 by Germany in Marbella, and the Czech Republic and Argentina were tied after the opening two singles in their best of five tie.
'He has injured his knee tendon. It is not serious and he will be fit to play in the Davis Cup,' Prakash's father Vijay Amritraj said.
The doubles specialist made the team at the expense of Prakash Amritraj, who was rendered ineligible after the new sports policy that bars foreign passport holders from representing the country. Amritraj holds a United States passport.
Switzerland's preparations for the Davis Cup Final against France in Lille on Sunday have been disrupted by a back injury to Roger Federer and a spat within the Swiss camp.
Switzerland took advantage of Novak Djokovic's absence to open a 2-0 lead over last year's runners-up Serbia in their Davis Cup tie on Friday with Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka winning their singles rubbers.
Four members of the Davis Cup team have written to the AITA saying they will not play under captain Leander Paes.
Argentina, the Czech Republic and Spain also booked their places in the last eight by opening up 3-0 leads.
The youngster faces Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin, while Rohan Bopanna will play Farrukh Dustov in the Asia Oceania Zone Group I tie.
John Isner shocked Roger Federer in four sets to secure a 2-0 lead for the United States away to Switzerland in Davis Cup World Group action Friday while holders Spain carved out the same advantage over Kazakhstan in their first-round tie.
Rafael Nadal's decision to opt out of Spain's Davis Cup tie against Peru is understandable given the physical problems the world number two has experienced in recent seasons, captain Emilio Sanchez-Vicario said.
Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will make his Davis Cup debut for France in a first-round tie against Romania next month.
'Drawing Canada is golden chance for India to get into World Group'
Sumit Nagal and Mukund Sasikumar secured victories, while Sidharth Rawat delivered a stunning upset at the Chennai Open ATP Challenger.
John Fitzgerald has been reappointed non-playing captain of Australia's Davis Cup squad for 2008 despite failing to keep the 28-times champions in the World Group. Australia lost their place in the elite World Group for the first time since 1991 when they lost a relegation tie against Serbia in September.
Former India tennis star Vijay Amritraj says the new Davis Cup format will not affect the country much as it is still playing home and away games in Group I and not the World Group matches.
AITA said last week they had written to International Tennis Federation (ITF) asking them to shift the tie to a neutral venue
In what would come as a massive blow to India's chances at the Davis Cup, tennis ace Leander Paes pulled out of the US Open mixed doubles semi-finals due to back spasms which also makes him doubtful for the World Group playoff tie against Japan next week.
Rohan Bopanna returned to the country's Davis Cup squad after a two-year gap as AITA named a six-member team on Saturday, for the Asia/Oceania Group I contest against Chinese Taipei, starting January 31 in Indore.
In what can be termed a decent draw, India is pitted against Japan in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie, beginning September 16. The winner of the tie will advance to the World Group while the losing nation will compete in the Asia-Oceania Group I zone.
The Australian is still suffering the effects of an injury he picked up during the US Open and had been rested as a precaution.
Spain's talisman Rafael Nadal sealed a sixth Davis Cup title for his country on Sunday when they beat Canada 2-0 in the final of the revamped event.
India were drawn against their Pakistan for an away Asia-Oceania Zone Group 1 fixture.
Prajnesh Gunneswaran lost to a lower-ranked Otto Virtanen, while Ramkumar Ramanathan was beaten by Emil Ruusuvuori, leaving India trailing Finland 0-2 in the Davis World Group I, in Espoo, on Friday.
Britain's world number one Andy Murray will play against France in the Davis Cup quarter-finals in April after missing the first-round victory against Canada last weekend.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday said the government will not have any say on whether India should participate in next month's Davis Cup tie in Pakistan as the event is not a bilateral engagement.
Donald Young has replaced the injured John Isner for the United States and will face Wimbledon champion Andy Murray of Britain in Friday's opening match of the first-round Davis Cup tie in San Diego.
Roared on by a capacity crowd in the Palexpo Arena, Federer dismantled the world number 17 Fognini 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (4) in just under two hours.
Leander Paes yet again turned the clock back in company of Rohan Bopanna as the Indian duo recorded a dramatic come-from-behind 1-6, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3, 8-6 win over Serbian pair of Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac to keep home team's chances alive in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie in Bangalore on Saturday
The AITA said the appointment was made as captain Leander Paes 'would require help and support'.
India's No 2 tennis player Karan Rastogi wants to win back his place in Indian Davis Cup squad and improve on his ranking this year.
Juan Ignacio Chela held his nerve to seal a 3-2 victory over holders Croatia to enter the Davis Cup semi-finals.
Somdev Devvarman recorded his first Davis Cup win to keep India afloat in the second round tie against Chinese Taipei as both the teams were locked 1-1 on the opening day of the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I tie in Kaohsiung (Chinese Taipei) on Friday.
Germany were the fastest team into September's semi-finals, continuing a long tradition of thrashing Belgium.
Greg Rusedski announced his retirement after helping Britain to establish a 3-0 lead over the Netherlands in Davis Cup.
Rafael Nadal returned to Davis Cup action for the first time in two years on Friday with his victory putting Spain ahead in a Group One relegation playoff against Denmark.
They beat Uzbekistan's Farrukh Dustov and Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group 1 first round tie.
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