Davis Cup - Czech Republic reach Davis Cup final

Eurosport - Mon, 21 Sep 11:44:00 2009

The Czech Republic closed out their Davis Cup semi-final against Croatia on Sunday with a 4-1 scoreline after taking an unassailable 3-0 lead the day before.

TENNIS Stepanek and Berdych of Czech Republic celebrates with teammates in their Davis Cup semi-final doubles tennis match in Porec - 0

The Czechs have not reached the final since 1980 when they won their one and only title, but will face Spain for the 2009 crown.

They wrapped up a 4-1 win over the 2005 champions with Jan Hajek beating Roko Karanusic 7-6 (4) 6-4 before Lovro Zovko salvaged Croatian pride with a 6-3 6-4 win over Lukas Dlouhy.

"Spain have the best claycourt players in the world and definitely we are going to be outsiders," said Radek Stepanek, like fellow top-20 player Tomas Berdych an automatic first choice.

"But we've been in that situation a couple of times this year and we used it to our advantage.

"I believe we are going to do the same thing in (the final in) December."

Spain also completed a 4-1 win on Sunday, over Israel.

AFP

Comment 11 - 30 of 30

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  1. Message 29 also nothing to do with me enough said.

    From AJ, on Sun 20 Sep 3:48PM

  2. Message 26 and 27 not from me some one just being­ stupid again just ignore from here on.

    From AJ, on Sun 20 Sep 12:56PM

  3. This is what's wrong with the Davis cup and why it­­ means absolutely nothing to most tennis fans.
    GB was­­ playing Poland ? So what ? the two semis were being­­ played at the same time,and we now have the two­­ Finalists,Spain and Czech.Then what of Poland ?­ Playing­ for 5th place ? Playing to progress in the­ next­ year's Davis cup ? Don't give me­ answers,just­ tell me how many of you truly know­ without researching­ it,and how many of you truly­ care.
    To save the Davis­ Cup from oblivion,and make­ sense in an already­ overbooked calendar for most­ players,i suggest the­ Davis Cup is to be played every­ 4 years,like a world­ cup and maybe,just maybe,people­ will show up to support­ their team,not like the croats­ for example,which is­ just one of many examples just­ like it.

    From coolworld, on Sun 20 Sep 10:00AM

  4. Oh sorry silly me of course spain won I might go to­ madrid with my friend next summer.

    From AJ, on Sun 20 Sep 8:42AM

  5. I was so pleased Croatia won I went there on holiday­ once and had a nice time.

    From AJ, on Sun 20 Sep 8:29AM

  6. 'Steppany-Nek, or whatever his name is, he is­ extremely­ UGLY, how he attracts all those tennis­ chicks I dont­ know'. justlovethisgame, He­ attracts them because he is a successful sportsman who­ has a great career in the world's top 20 and lots­ and lots of money! Simple. Chicks go for this, looks­ are nothing to do with it. If he was a humble postman­ or even a slightly less humble teacher, he would not­ get the barest look in from attractive females, such is­ the shallow mercenary agenda of the female race.

    From Mark, on Sun 20 Sep 12:31AM

  7. Steppany-Nek, or whatever his name is, he is extremely­ UGLY, how he attracts all those tennis chicks I dont­ know, he must have a SECRET WEAPON!!! all the way up­ his sleeve!

    From What-a-Load-of-Rubbish-U-Lot, on Sat 19 Sep 10:11PM

  8. Well done Radek and Tomas if you play spain in the­ final it will be tough though.

    From AJ, on Sat 19 Sep 6:14PM

  9. Wow six hours long the match and all those aces well­ done Radek on beating him.

    From AJ, on Sat 19 Sep 5:12PM

  10. There have been 2 breaks of serves in 3 first games of­ the match. Then nothing until the very last game.
    It­ was a test of mental toughness for Stepanek, but­ (suprisingly) he's been hanging there untill­ Ivo's bullet pump finally dropped off.

    From davyk76, on Sat 19 Sep 3:55PM

  11. I dont know where STEPANEK finds the ENERGY or the TIME­ to play such long matches as he is quite busy on the­ tour going for one female player to the next, he must­ have something special.

    From What-a-Load-of-Rubbish-U-Lot, on Sat 19 Sep 9:11AM

  12. I think that neither of the two guys was good enough to­ break the other.
    Just wondering: was this the longest­ match ever?

    From Jimmy, on Sat 19 Sep 6:27AM

  13. Actually Ivo has a really good serve and volley game­ and has beaten the likes of Roger Federer in the past.­ This surface was not kind to him but it was chosen with­ an idea the Czechs would have an even better advantage­ on the faster courts. Go figure - both first day­ matches were close and tight, lasted forever and­ produced some good tennis with the only problem being­ that the hosts are down 0:2 and have nothing to show­ for the choice of venue!

    From Ned, on Sat 19 Sep 4:14AM

  14. so glad to see the Deckchair folded away...­ seriously...the guy can serve but ugh to the rest of­ his game... I feel saddened every time he wins a match­ depending on that big bang and sod all else.

    From tontonsky, on Sat 19 Sep 2:44AM

  15. so glad to see the Deckchair folded away...­ seriously...the guy can serve but ugh to the rest of­ his game... I feel saddened every time he wins a match­ depending on that big bang and sod all else.

    From tontonsky, on Sat 19 Sep 2:44AM

  16. so glad to see the Deckchair folded away...­ seriously...the guy can serve but ugh to the rest of­ his game... I feel saddened every time he wins a match­ depending on that big bang and sod all else.

    From tontonsky, on Sat 19 Sep 2:44AM

  17. Cheers Guruhonza. Thanks for the info. I know Ivo has­ gone through 3-set matches without any breaks but I­ thought it'd be absolutely incredible to play for­ well over 5 and a half hours without a break. The new­ ace record is incredible enough.

    From rhymes450, on Fri 18 Sep 11:12PM

  18. Sorry, I meant breaks of serve in the first four sets.

    From rhymes450, on Fri 18 Sep 11:00PM

  19. There were breaks, but I am not sure how many... but I­ think Stepanek broke 3 times Ivo's serve

    From guruhonza, on Fri 18 Sep 10:57PM

  20. Sounds like an incredibly dull match. Maybe in terms of­ longevity it was a thriller, but 78 aces in a match­ sounds to me like a sad return to the boom-bang tennis­ of Ivanisevic with no guile, only service.

    From Gareth, on Fri 18 Sep 10:38PM
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