Date:20/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/20/stories/2008052060451900.htm

Sport - Sports : General

U.S. downs Czech Republic

Duesseldorf: The United States beat the Czech Republic 2-1 at the World Team Cup on Monday despite losing the top-ranked doubles team Bob and Mike Bryan to injury.

The Bryan brothers were replaced by James Blake and Wayne Odesnik, who rallied to defeat Tomas Berdych and Pavel Vizner 0-6, 7-5, 10-8. Blake and Odesnik had split their singles matches in the Red Group on Sunday, with Blake losing to Berdych and Odesnik beating Ivo Minar.

Russia won the Blue Group tie against Italy 2-1 despite Igor Andreev and Dmitry Tursunov losing the doubles 6-4, 6-4 to Simone Bolelli and Potito Starace. Russia won both singles matches Sunday.

Davydenko advances

Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko eased past Rainer Eitzinger of Austria 6-1, 6-1 on Monday in the first round of the Hypo Group International.

The results: Red Group: United States 2 bt Czech Republic 1 (Wayne Odesnik bt Ivo Minar 6-2, 6-1; Tomas Berdych bt James Blake 7-6(0), 7-6 (5); James Blake/ Wayne Odesnik bt Tomas Berdych /Pavel Vizner 0-6, 7-5, 10-8).

Sweden 2 bt Argentina 1 (Robin Soderling bt Guillermo Canas 6-3, 6-1; Juan Ignacio Chela bt Tomas Johansson 6-2, 6-1; Robin Soderling/ Robert Lindstedt bt Lucas Arnold Ker/ Sebastian Prieto 7-5, 6-2.

Blue Group: Russia 2 bt Italy 1 (Igor Andreev bt Simone Bolelli 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3; Mikhail Youzhny bt Potito Starace 6-4, 5-7, 6-2; Andrea Bolelli/ Potito Starace bt Igor Andreev/ Dmitri Tursunov 6-4, 6-4.

Germany 2 bt Spain 1 (Philipp Kohlschreiber bt David Ferrer 6-1, 6-0; Fernando Lopez bt Denis Gremelmayr 6-4, 6-3; Christopher Kas/ Philipp Petzschner bt Marcel Granollers/ Feliciano Lopez 6-7(5), 6-4, 10-5.

At Poertschach (Austria): ATP Hypo Group International: First round: Ivan Navarro bt Vincent Spadea 6-4, 6-4; Jiri Vanek bt Martin Verkerk 7-5, 4-6, 6-2; Daniel Gimeno-Traver bt Werner Eschauer 6-4, 6-2; Juergen Melzer bt Donald Young 7-5, 6-2; Nikolay Davydenko bt Rainer Eitzinger 6-1, 6-1; Andreas Seppi bt Ernests Gulbis 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. — Agencies