BOLOGNA, Italy — Zizou Bergs defeated Arthur Rinderknev 6-3, 7-6 (4) on Tuesday, giving Belgium a commanding 2-0 lead over 10-time champion France and advancing to the Davis Cup semifinals.
Belgium had misplaced the final 4 conferences in opposition to France, together with the 2017 remaining. They may play both top-ranked Italy or Austria on Friday. The remaining two quarterfinals will likely be performed on Thursday and embody second-place Germany vs. Argentina and Spain vs. fourth-seeded Czech Republic.
Bergs remained in management all through, clinching the match with a shocking forehand winner down the road.
Earlier than that, Raphael Collignon defeated Corentin Moutet 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 to provide Belgium a 1-0 lead. Tie matches will likely be performed as a best-of-three match, with two singles matches and one doubles match.
Each international locations have returned to this stage of crew competitors because it was revamped in 2019. The Davis Cup Remaining 8 in Bologna would be the sixth time the match has topped the champion on impartial soil.
Moutet performed strong tennis till the twelfth recreation of the second set, however dedicated two double faults, tried a leg-to-leg shot, wavered from a simple level on the web, and dropped function Collignon pressed for a decisive alternative.
An identical state of affairs unfolded within the third set, when Collignon earned a decisive break within the remaining recreation.
“It was a loopy recreation,” Collignon mentioned.
Spain will likely be with out top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, who was sidelined early Tuesday with a hamstring damage.
