Serbia and France cruised into the Davis Cup quarter-finals on Saturday as five-time champions Spain faced a humiliating first round exit.
Serbia, the 2010 winners, reached the last eight for the fourth successive season when Viktor Troicki and Nenad Zimonjic, playing his 18th Davis Cup season, defeated Steve Darcis and Ruben Bemelmans 6-4 6-4 5-7 6-4 to secure a 3-0 win over Belgium.
The Serbs were 2-0 up overnight in Charleroi when Troicki survived a marathon battle to beat David Goffin 1-6 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 6-4 before world No.1 and Australian Open title-holder Novak Djokovic eased past Olivier Rochus 6-3 6-2 6-2.
Serbia are likely to face the United States for a semi-final place after the 32-time champions opened a 2-0 lead over Brazil in Florida.
“It looks like it was an easy job but it was very tough playing against the Belgian team and in front of thousands of spectators who are cheering for them,” said Serbia captain Bogdan Obradovic.
“Still, I want to congratulate my team, they played very good tennis.”
In Rouen, Michael Llodra and Julien Benneteau teamed up to move France into the quarter-finals as they powered past Israeli pairing Dudi Sela and Jonathan Erlich.
The French duo won 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 6-0 in the doubles to cement an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the tie.
France had led 2-0 overnight in Arnaud Clement’s debut as national coach.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the world No.8, beat Amir Weintraub 6-3 6-3 4-6 7-5 before Richard Gasquet breezed past Dudi Sela 6-3 6-2 6-2.
France will now either head to Argentina or host Germany in April — the South Americans led 2-0 after the opening day in Buenos Aires.
“What I saw this weekend was fun — the commitment, level of play,” said Clement.
“The richness of this team is to have plenty of opportunities in both singles and doubles on all surfaces.”
In Vancouver, Spain were down 2-0 against Canada, a country who have never previously won a World Group clash.
Missing top players Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Nicolas Almagro and Fernando Verdasco, the champions in three of the last five years, and runners-up in 2012, were blown off court.
Canadian veteran Frank Dancevic, ranked 166th in the world, stormed to a 6-1 6-2 6-2 victory over Marcel Granollers, ranked 34th, to put the hosts up 2-0.
World number 15 Milos Raonic had opened the tie with a 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4 6-4 win over Albert Ramos.
“It was beautiful tennis – unfortunately it was painful for us,” admitted Spain captain Alex Corretja.
“We know it may be a miracle if we want to win this tie.”
Switzerland and the Czech Republic went into the record books on Saturday when they played out the longest match in Davis Cup history, organisers said.
The record was set when the doubles rubber between Stanislas Wawrinka and Marco Chiudinelli and Czech pair Tomas Berdych and Lukas Rosol went to the six hour, 23 minute mark.
When the score reached 19-19 in the final set, the clock had ticked to 6 hours 21 minutes, making it the longest doubles rubber ever played in the Davis Cup.
