GRAZ, Austria, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Croatia opened defense of its Davis Cup title Friday with a pair of opening singles victories in its first-round Davis Group match-up with Austria.
The event is being played at Graz, Austria.
Mario Ancic rallied to beat Jurgen Melzer, 6-7 (2-7), 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3; while Ivan Ljubicic beat Stefan Koubek, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.
Elsewhere, France leads Germany, 2-0; Russia leads the Netherlands, 2-0; Belarus has a 2-0 lead over Spain; and Switzerland and Australia are tied, 1-1.
Sweden leads Argentina, 2-0; France leads Germany, 2-0; and the United States pulled into a 1-1 tie with Romania late in the day when James Blake beat Victor Hanescu, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 -- after the slumping Andy Roddick lost to Andrei Pavel, 6-7 (2-7), 2-6, 7-6 (10-8), 6-2, 6-4, at La Jolla, Calif.
