The China Mail - Spain and Germany reach Davis Cup semi-finals

The Spanish came back from one match down to beat the Czech Republic 2-1, while Germany -- and world number three Alexander Zverev -- saw off Argentina by the same scoreline.

Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez beat Tomas Machac and Jakub Mensik 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (10/8) to seal Spain's passage to the last four.

Jaume Munar set Spain up to win the tie by beating Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-4 and levelling up the match after Pablo Carreno Busta was beaten by world number 19 Mensik 7-5, 6-4.

Spain's biggest star, Carlos Alcaraz, pulled out of the tournament on Tuesday with a hamstring injury suffered during his defeat to Jannik Sinner in the title match of the ATP Finals on Sunday.

The six-time Grand Slam champion said in the aftermath of that defeat that his hamstring hadn't affected him, even though it was strapped up during a medical time out.

World number one Alcaraz is one of three top-10 players to have dropped out of the Davis Cup finals in northern Italy, where fans have also been denied the chance to see Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti play for the Azzurri.

Former Olympic champion Zverev is the highest-ranked player left at the Davis Cup finals, and he drew the later tie level by beating Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), after Tomas Martin Etcheverry put Argetina ahead by with a 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (9/7) win over Jan-Lennard Struff.

Germany secured a clash with Spain on Saturday after Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz came through a three-set epic against Andres Molteni and Horacio Zeballos 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (12/10).

Krawietz and Puetz emerged victorious at just past 0100 on Friday morning in Italy (midnight GMT), after wasting three match matches at 6-3 in the third set tie-break.

Italy will take on Belgium in the first semi-final in front of a partisan crowd on Friday.

C.Fong--ThChM