Kazakhstan win doubles to stay alive

Outsiders Kazakhstan stayed alive in their Davis Cup quarterfinal against Czech Republic after winning the doubles rubber on Saturday.

The Czechs were looking to wrap up the tie after winning both of their singles matches on Friday, but Andrey Golubev and Yuri Schukin stunned Radek Stepanek and Jan Hajek 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 to take the contest into a third day.

Stepanek, who had not played since undergoing neck surgery in January to relieve stress on a nerve, teamed up with Hajek for the first time after his regular doubles partner Tomas Berdych pulled out of the indoor tie in Astana with a shoulder injury.

After losing the first set in a tie-breaker 7-2, the Czechs were gradually outplayed by the newly-made pair of Golubev and Schukin, who also won their previous doubles encounter in Davis Cup by beating Austria at the same venue in February.

Elsewhere, Sam Querrey won his first five-set Davis Cup match to help the United States draw level with Serbia after world number one Novak Djokovic struck first for the visitors.  Other matches, between Argentina and France and Canada and Italy, were also tied 1-1 after day one.

Results: 2-Czech Republic lead 8-Kazakhstan 2-1: On Friday: Lukas Rosol (Cze) bt Andrey Golubev (Kaz) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (8-6); Jan Hajek (Cze) bt Mikhail Kukushkin (Kaz) 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. (On Saturday): Andrey Golubev/ Yuri Schukin (Kaz) bt Radek Stepanek/ Jan Hajek (Cze) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 6-3.

6-US level with 4-Serbia 1-1: On Friday: Novak Djokovic (Srb) bt John Isner (US) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, 7-5. (On Saturday): Sam Querrey (US) bt Viktor Troicki (Srb) 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.
5-France level with 3-Argentina 1-1: On Friday: Juan Monaco (Arg) bt Gilles Simon (Fra) 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, 6-4; Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (Fra) bt Carlos Berlocq (Arg) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.  

Canada level with Italy 1-1: On Friday: Andreas Seppi (Ita) bt Vasek Pospisil (Can) 5-7, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3; (On Saturday): Milos Raonic (Can) bt Fabio Fognini (Ita) 6-4, 7-6, 7-5.