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Spain, Argentina take lead in Davis Cup semis

Dunya News

Defending champion Serbia, playing without Djokovic, trailed Argentina 2-0 in Belgrade.

Four days after losing a grueling U.S. Open final to Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal dropped only four games Friday in helping Spain to a 2-0 start against France in the Davis Cup semifinals.Nadal routed Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-0, 6-1 on his favorite clay surface, and David Ferrer cruised past Gilles Simon 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 to put Spain ahead 2-0 at Cordobas bullring in the best-of-five series.Defending champion Serbia, playing without Djokovic, trailed Argentina 2-0 in Belgrade in the other semifinal. Djokovic has an ailing back and was a late withdrawal from opening singles. His replacement, Viktor Troicki, lost to David Nalbandian 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Janko Tipsarevic was beaten by Juan Martin del Potro 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 in the other match.Argentina needs one more point to reach its first final since 2008. Serbia has never successfully come back after dropping the opening singles.After beating Gasquet in a little more than two hours, Nadal complained again about the tennis schedule and didnt rule out a strike if there wasnt a resolution.We dont want to get there. We want to play, Nadal said. But if its a fight about something that we think is fair, something would have to happen.Nadal broke seven times, improving his Davis Cup singles record on clay to 13-0.Im close to the end of my energy, Nadal said. Im not in perfect condition physically, I know that. If the match stays longer it (would) be very difficult for me.Spains Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco can clinch victory by beating Michael Llodra and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Saturdays doubles.If Spain advances, Nadal said he would prefer to face Argentina in the final. The match would be in Spain, and hed avoid meeting Djokovic, who is 6-0 against him in finals this year.
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