SPORTS Sunday, February 5, 2017 23

Paris in the quarter-finals on April erbia reached the Davis 7-9. The United States were Cup quarter-finals 2-0 ahead of a Switzerland Syesterday to set up a possible side missing Roger Federer mouthwatering clash between and Stan Wawrinka in Grand Slam heavyweights Birmingham, Alabama, after Novak Djokovic and Rafael Friday’s singles. Nadal for a semi-final spot. Nine-time champions Serbia, the 2010 champions, France wrapped up a 3-0 took an unassailable 3-0 victory against Japan after lead over Russia in their Wimbledon winners Pierre- World Group opener in Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Nis when 40-year-old Mahut brushed aside Nenad Zimonjic and Yuichi Sugita and Yasutaka Libreville competition, with Cups of Nations Viktor Troicki downed Uchiyama 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. ameroon and Egypt are both unrivalled on seven titles and between 2006 and Egypt’s Argentinian Andrey Kuznetsov and Japan, playing without aiming to remarkable Cameroon, four-time winners, 2010 but missed coach Hector Raul Konstantin Kravchuk 6-3, world number five Kei revivalsC by winning the Africa just behind alongside . the last three Cuper 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (5/7), 6-4. Nishikori, have yet to win a Cup of Nations when they But at the outset of the tournaments On Friday, Troicki beat single set in three rubbers this meet in a final that few thought tournament in Gabon it was amid political Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-7 weekend and will now face possible in Libreville today the likes of Algeria, Senegal and upheaval in the (3/7), 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (8/6) in a play-off later in the year to evening. defending champions the Ivory country before the opening singles before preserve their World Group These are two of the most Coast who were considered the Argentine Djokovic made it 2-0 when status. Elsewhere, defending successful nations in the favourites, with Egypt no more Hector Cuper Daniil Medvedev retired champions Argentina 60-year history of the than dark horses in their first led them to with cramps in the fourth set were battling to stay in the appearance since 2010. back onto the allowing the 12-time major tournament after slipping 2-0 Cameroon, meanwhile, came scene here. winner to claim a 3-6, 6-4, down to Italy in Buenos Aires with what looked like their Like Broos, 6-1, 1-0 win. on Friday. The winners of that weakest ever squad, handicapped Cuper has a Djokovic could face Nadal tie will face either Germany or by the refusal of several leading young squad, in the last eight in April Belgium for a semi-final spot. players to accept call-ups from although there are should five-time champions Belgium were 2-1 ahead Belgian coach Hugo Broos. four survivors from the Spain see off Croatia in Osijek in Frankfurt after Ruben Yet the Indomitable Lions team that won the title in their season-opening Bemelmans and Joris De qualified from their group at the in 2010 in El Hadary, tie which was locked at 1-1 Loore sealed a 6-3, 7-6 expense of the hosts and have , Mohamed overnight. (7/4), 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 win over since knocked out both Senegal Abdel-Shafi and the Hull Nadal was sitting out the brothers Alexander and and Ghana to make their first City wing-back Ahmed trip to Croatia after reaching Mischa Zverev. (AFP) Cameroon’s goal- final since 2008. Elmohamady. the Australian Open keeper Fabrice Then, with a side containing The Pharaohs have final last weekend Ondoa attends a the likes of Rigobert Song and not exactly been a joy but would be certain Davis Cup (Group) results training session Samuel Eto’o, they lost 1-0 to to watch -- they have to return to face a At Buenos Aires (clay, outdoor) the Egyptians in Ghana’s capital built their success under Djokovic-inspired Argentina 1 Italy 2 Accra. Cuper around a rock- Serbia. At Frankfurt (hard, indoor) This current Cameroon side solid defence that has Australia, the Germany 1 Belgium 2 has no such big name stars but only conceded one goal 28-time champions, At Melbourne (hard, outdoor) Broos has transformed so far in Gabon, while they completed a 3-0 Australia 3 Czech Rep 0 their fortunes over the have relied heavily on drubbing of the last 12 months and the star quality of Czech Republic in At Birmingham (hard, outdoor) is now looking at Melbourne when United States 2 Switzerland 0 for them to the other end. (AFP) John Peers and Sam At Tokyo (hard, indoor) make history Groth breezed past Japan 0 France 3 rather than Jiri Vesely and Jan At Ottawa (hard, indoor) be content Satral, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Canada 1 Great Britain 1 with their Australia, At Nis (hard, indoor) unexpected run. captained by Lleyton Serbia 3 Russia 0 The Egyptians Hewitt, will now face At Osijek (hard, indoor) had won three either the United Croatia 2 Spain 1 consecutive States or Switzerland Djokovic’s Egypt’s goalkeeper facts Essam El-Hadary Cameroon adjusts his gloves Serbia vs. Egypt join 1) Played each other seven times at the Cup of Nations with Egypt winning three matches and Cameroon two with two drawn. Aussies 2) Two of the previous meetings have been in finals with Egypt victorious on both occasions -- 5-4 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in 1986 and 1-0 in 2008. in last 3) The most recent match between the nations was in a 2010 quarter-final with Ahmed Hassan scoring twice as Egypt came from behind to triumph 3-1 Hugo Broos after extra time. Roaring eight 4) Egypt have won six of seven finals with the lone loss coming in 1962 when they fell 4-2 after extra Novak Djokovic time to hosts Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. reacts after winning 5) The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon have won four of six finals with both defeats coming against the Pharaohs of Egypt, in and Accra.