Serbia cruise back into Davis World Group

Serbia sealed their return to the Davis Cup World Group winning the doubles to take a 3-0 lead against Slovakia. After Novak Djokovic and Janko Tipsarevic had laid the groundwork with victories in the singles on Friday, Nenad Zimonjic and Viktor Troicki yesterday gave Serbia an unassailable 3-0 advantage in the tie, beating Slovak duo Mihal Mertinak and Filip Polasek 3-1 (7:6, 6:4, 6:7, 7:6). Serbia cruise back into Davis World Group In a match dominated by serve, both pairs saved two set points in the first set tie-break, before Zimonjic and Troicki eventually edged it 10-8. A break in game three of the second set was enough to guarantee a 2-0 advantage, before the Slovak pair, buoyed on by a raucous home crowd, struck back to take the third set in another close tie-break, coming through 9-7. After an early exchange of breaks in the fourth set, both pairings managed to re-establish their serving dominance and a tie break was needed once again to separate them, which the Serbian duo duly took 7-5 to finish the match in four and a quarter hours. The last two singles rubbers will be played today, although their result will be academic. Troicki, Zimonjic (FoNet)

Serbia cruise back into Davis World Group

In a match dominated by serve, both pairs saved two set points in the first set tie-break, before Zimonjić and Troicki eventually edged it 10-8.

A break in game three of the second set was enough to guarantee a 2-0 advantage, before the Slovak pair, buoyed on by a raucous home crowd, struck back to take the third set in another close tie-break, coming through 9-7.

After an early exchange of breaks in the fourth set, both pairings managed to re-establish their serving dominance and a tie break was needed once again to separate them, which the Serbian duo duly took 7-5 to finish the match in four and a quarter hours.

The last two singles rubbers will be played today, although their result will be academic.