John Isner ended Roger Federer's 15-match unbeaten streak in the Davis Cup as the United States opened a 2-0 lead over Switzerland.
United States claim early advantage in Switzerland
John Isner ended Roger Federer's 15-match, nine-year unbeaten streak in the Davis Cup as the United States opened a 2-0 lead against Switzerland on day one of their first-round tie in Fribourg.
Mardy Fish drew first blood on the indoor clay for the visitors with a 4-6 4-6 6-1 9-7 win over Stanislas Wawrinka in the opening rubber.
And Isner downed world number three Federer 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7/4) 6-2, a performance he described as "the win of my life".
"The way I played today is the way I need to play in all my matches," said Isner.
"I owe it to (US captain) Jim Courier - he was on at me to hit all my shots."
Federer and Wawrinka are due to face Mike Bryan and Ryan Harrison in Saturday's doubles.
No Djok, no problem
Serbia made light of the absence of Novak Djokovic to claim a 2-0 advantage over
Sweden in Nis.
With world number one Djokovic rested for the first-round tie after his Australian Open victory, Janko Tipsarevic defeated Filip Prpic 6-3 6-3 6-4.
And Viktor Troicki followed up with a 6-4 6-3 5-7 6-3 win over Michael Ryderstedt to leave Sweden needing victory in Saturday's doubles to keep the tie alive.
Defending champions
Spain also made light of being without their star man Rafael Nadal to seize a 2-0 lead over
Kazakhstan in Oviedo.
Veteran Juan Carlos Ferrero was a 6-1 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 6-4 victor against Mikhail Kukushkin and Nicolas Almagro beat Andrey Golubev 6-3 4-6 6-1 6-1.
Argentina took control against
Germany with victories for Juan Monaco and David Nalbandian in Bamberg on Friday.
Monaco dispatched Philipp Petzschner 6-3 6-3 6-3 and Nalbandian overcame a slow start to see off Florian Mayer 2-6 6-0 6-1 7-6.
Austria are 2-0 up on
Russia in Wiener Neustadt after victories for Jurgen Melzer and Andreas Haider-Maurer.
Melzer came through a five-set battle with Igor Kunitsyn by a 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 3-6 6-1 scoreline and Haider-Maurer saw off Alex Bogomolov Jr. 6-1 6-4 6-7 (1-7) 6-2.
Radek Stepanek and Tomas Berdych were in good form as the
Czech Republic dominated
Italy in Ostrava.
Stepanek outlasted Andreas Seppi 4-6 6-4 6-3 3-6 6-3 and Berdych quelled Simone Bolelli's challenge 6-3 4-6 7-5 6-2 to give the Czechs a 2-0 lead.
Go ahead
In Hyogo,
Japan and
Croatia were tied at 1-1 after the first day's play.
Go Soeda gave the hosts the perfect start, coming from two sets down to beat Ivan Dodig 6-7 (3/7) 3-6 6-4 6-3 7-5 in a four-hour marathon.
But the big-serving Ivo Karlovic levelled things up in under half the time, sending down 18 aces in a 6-4 6-4 6-3 win over Kei Nishikori.
Those present were still talking about Soeda's epic win, though, and he responded by saying: "I think it was my biggest win ever."
France and
Canada also ended the day all-square. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was a 6-1 6-3 6-3 winner against Milos Raonic but Vasek Pospisil hit back for Canada to win 6-2 6-4 7-5 over Julien Benneteau.
