Vinales tops as P23 Rossi, Lorenzo struggle SPORTS 2424 Saturday, April 8, 2017 Djokovic shines Serbia, France eye Davis Cup semi-finals points off my first serve.” Chardy, only France’s Serbia’s Novak Djokovic returns the Paris Djokovic, who skipped the Miami ninth best singles player, was competing ball to Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas ovak Djokovic put Masters because of an elbow injury and in his first Davis Cup singles rubber in six during the Davis Cup World Group Serbia on course for went into the tie in Belgrade with just seven years.Pouille, the world number 17 and his quarterfinals single match between the Davis NCup semi-finals yesterday wins on tour in 2017, dropped just one team’s top singles player in the absence Serbia and Spain at the “Aleksandar as the 2010 champions dominated a point on serve against Ramos Vinolas. of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils, Nikolic” sports hall in Belgrade Spanish team missing Rafael Nadal Five-time winners Spain are without recovered from 2/5 down in the second-set while Britain, without Andy Murray, Nadal after the 14-time Grand Slam tie-breaker before dominating the deciding slipped 2-0 down to France. champion opted to stay at home to prepare set. World number two Djokovic for the clay-court season. France can wrap up the tie on Saturday shrugged off his recent elbow injury Team captain Nenad Zimonjic and when Nicolas Mahut and Julien Benneteau to give Serbia a winning start in their Troicki will face Marc Lopez and Jaume face Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot in quarter-final in Belgrade with a 6-3, Munar in Saturday’s doubles where a win the doubles. 6-4, 6-2 victory over 24th-ranked will give Serbia a semi-final date against Nick Kyrgios and Jordan Thompson Albert Ramos Vinolas. either France or Britain. gave Australia an unexpected 2-0 lead Viktor Troicki, the world On a perfect day for all four of the against the United States in the countries’ 39, then made it 2-0 by quarter-final hosts, Australia were 2-0 up 47th meeting in the competition. seeing off 19th-ranked on the United States in Brisbane, closing in World number 79 Thompson stunned Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, on a semi-final date against Belgium who world number 15 Jack Sock 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 6-4, 6-3. were 2-0 ahead of Italy in Charleroi. (7/4), 6-4 before Kyrgios saw off John Isner “I am satisfied with In Rouen, Lucas Pouille and Jeremy 7-5, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5). my game, especially Chardy moved nine-time champions The controversial Kyrgios pushed Roger with the serve,” France to the verge of a fifth semi-final in Federer to the brink in the Miami semi- said Djokovic after eight years with straight sets wins against a finals last week and he carried that form claiming a 12th British team missing Andy Murray who sat into Friday’s match. successive Davis out the tie with an elbow injury. In Charleroi, Steve Darcis beat Paolo Cup singles win. Pouille gave France a winning start with Lorenzi 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) while “It worked a 7-5, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory over Kyle David Goffin eased past Andreas Seppi 6-4, well today Edmund before Chardy then eased past 6-3, 6-3 as Belgium led Italy, who knocked and I won Dan Evans, playing on clay for the first out defending champions Argentina in the a lot of time in three years, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. first round. (AFP) Hon.Chairman Najeb Yacob Alhamer | Responsible Editor Mahmood AI Mahmood | Managing Editor Soman Baby | Managing Director P. Unnikrishnan | Adviser Med Jones Advt : Strategic Publicity & Advertising Co.W.L.L | Tel: 17270710, Fax17256470, Email: [email protected] | Newsroom: Tel: 17579911, Fax17250150, Email: [email protected] Printed and published by Al Ayam Publishing | Subscription & circulation: Tel: 38444698/17579877/Fax17250150, Email:[email protected] | Website: www.dt.bh.