Davis Cup semifinals roundup: France, Switzerland take 2-0 leads
With files from The Associated Press
The Davis Cup semifinals got underway Friday and a handful of the world's top singles players were in action for the competing nations from Switzerland, France, Italy and the Czech Republic.
Two matches were played in each semi, and both Switzerland and France ended the day with 2-0 leads in their best-of-five ties. World No. 3 Roger Federer and No. 4 Stan Wawrinka were victorious for the Swiss, while No. 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and No. 21 Richard Gasquet triumphed for France.
The doubles rubbers will be played on Saturday.
France 2, Czech Republic 0
The two-time defending champion Czech Republic is one loss away from elimination, while France is on the brink of making its first final since 2010.
Subbing in for Gael Monfils, who was dealing with jet lag and general fatigue, Gasquet hammered top-ranked Czech and world No. 6 Tomas Berdych, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, at Roland Garros in Paris.
''This is one of my best wins ever,'' Gasquet said. ''The atmosphere was great, this is the Davis Cup, at Roland Garros, and I beat a top player ... I quickly found out this week that I was going to play the opening game because Gael was tired. And I could not have dreamt of a better start.'''
It's the second consecutive straight-sets loss for Berdych, who'd been rolling in the U.S. Open before being blown off the court in the quarterfinals last week by eventual champion Marin Cilic.
''My body is not ready for this," Berdych admitted after the match. "I needed more time to be fit. I need more time to be better prepared. This is the toughest conditions for me, coming from fast hard courts to the clay ... I need to move on and get over it.''
Tsonga followed up Gasquet's impressive showing with a dominant straight-sets win of his own, dispatching World No. 27 Lukas Rosol, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, in just an hour and 31 minutes. Tsonga credited his teammate's big win with taking the pressure off him.
''The key was the first match," Tsonga said. "After that, I was playing freely. Richard's victory hammered the Czechs.''
The Czechs need to win Saturday's doubles rubber to keep their hopes of a third straight championship alive. They are expected to pair Berdych with 38th-ranked Radek Stepanek, while the French, who last won the Cup in 2001, are considering sending out Gasquet and Tsonga.
Switzerland 2, Italy 0
Federer and Wawrinka were clinical for Switzerland, seeking its first-ever Davis Cup championship and first finals berth since 1992.
Playing in front of a home crowd at Palexpo indoor arena in Geneva, Federer knocked off World No. 76 Simone Bolelli, 7-6, 6-4, 6-4. Federer didn't drop serve in the match, but was played surprisingly close by the third-ranked Italian.
''I had to wait for a while to get my first break,'' Federer said. ''After that it was easy to play with the lead but it was a tough match, as the score suggests ... Not being broken is always a great thing. That's what most pleased me."
Wawrinka followed suit, thumping top-ranked Italian and World No. 17 Fabio Fognini, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, in a cool 90 minutes.
Wawrinka hit 37 winners to 14 from Fognini, and also dominated in the service game, notching 16 aces while Fognini didn't manage any. Fognini also double-faulted eight times, including on set point in the first.
''I've played good matches in Davis Cup this year,'' said Fognini, who beat Britain's Andy Murray in straight sets in the quarterfinals, ''but today, no.''
Federer and Wawrinka can give the hosts an unassailable 3-0 series lead Saturday in the doubles rubber. The 2008 Olympic doubles gold medalists are slated to face Italian pair Andreas Seppi and Paolo Lorenzi, though both teams suggest plans could change.
Wawrinka said he and Federer would discuss options with team captain Severin Luethi. If they can't clinch a victory in doubles, the Swiss would likely trot out Federer to play Fognini in the first reverse singles match on Sunday.