Nis, Serbia – Playing without its world No. 1 superstar 0 lead over visiting of-five opening-round Davis Cup affair.
World No. 9 Janko Tipsarevic handled unheralded Swede Filip Prpic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 and 22nd-ranked Viktor Troicki got past Michael Ryderstedt 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 Friday on the indoor hardcourt at Hala Cair.
Serbia can clinch a victory here on Saturday when its doubles tandem of Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic takes on a Swedish duo of Johan Brunstrom and Robert Lindstedt.
Djokovic, along with Serbian captain Bogdan Obradovic, decided that the reigning Australian Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion should rest this week following the No. 1's most recent championship run in Melbourne.
The Serbia-Sweden winner will meet the Czech Republic-Italy victor in the quarterfinals in April.
Serbia captured the Davis Cup title two years ago, while Sweden, captained by Thomas Enqvist, owns seven championships, but none since 1998.
The Serbs defeated the Swedes, 4-1, in the quarterfinals last year.
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