Tipsarevic propels Serbs into Davis Cup quarters

Nis, Serbia – Serbia needed only one victory on Sunday 1 in a best-of-five opening-round Davis Cup affair.

Sweden stayed alive, at 2-1, in Nis on Saturday with a doubles win, but Tipsarevic ended the Swedish hopes with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 victory over Michael Ryderstedt on Day 3 at Hala Cair. The match was over in 2 hours, 20 minutes, as Tipsarevic launched 25 aces and held his serve throughout.

The Serbs, who played this week without world No. 1 superstar Novak Djokovic, moved on to play the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals in April.

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.

On Friday in Nis, Tipsarevic drilled Filip Prpic in straight sets and Viktor Troicki made it 2-0 Serbia with a four-set victory over Ryderstedt.

Saturday's doubles saw a Swedish duo of Johan Brunstrom and Robert Lindstedt outlast a Serbian tandem of Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic in five sets, including an 18-game fifth.

Serbia captured the Davis Cup title two years ago, while Sweden, captained by Thomas Enqvist this week, owns seven championships, but none since 1998.

The Serbs defeated the Swedes, 4-1, in a quarterfinal tie last year.