Czechs beat Croats 3-0 in Davis Cup semis

POREC, Croatia, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Radek Stepanek and Tomas Berdych won their doubles match Saturday, giving the Czech Republic a 3-0 win over Croatia in the Davis Cup semifinals.

Before a spirited crowd at Porec, Croatia, the duo's 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 victory against the tandem of Marin Cilic and Lovro Zovko gave the Czechs an insurmountable lead and a spot in the Davis Cup finals for the first time since 1980, when the former Czechoslovakia, led by Ivan Lendl, topped Italy.

"There is no feeling better in the world," Stepanek said less than 24 hours after his five-set singles victory against 6-foot-10 Croat Ivo Karlovic.

In the finals, the Czechs face Spain, a 3-0 winner over Israel, without the injured Rafael Nadal.

Spain will be the home nation in the December matchup, and the finals likely will be played in Madrid.