Croatia locks up Davis Cup series win

VARAZDIN, Croatia, March 6 (UPI) -- Croatians Marin Cilic and Ivo Karlovic claimed a straight-set victory Saturday that locked up the first-round Davis Cup series with Ecuador.

Cilic and Karlovic had 51 winners en route to a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 7-5 win over Ecuadorian brothers Giovanni and Nicolas Lapentti.

The Lapenttis also both lost singles matches Friday and trail 3-0 in the best-of-five series. Croatia moves to the Davis Cup quarterfinals in July against either Serbia of the United States. Serbia has a 2-1 lead over the United States in that series.

Cilic and Karlovic had 21 unforced errors that they countered with a 51 winners. They had three breaks of serve of the Ecuadorians and lost just five points on serve in the third set.

Cilic and Karlovic put Croatia up 2-0 on Friday, with Cilic beating Giovanni Lapentti in three sets after Karlovic, behind 36 aces, outlasted Nicolas Lapentti in five sets.

Ecuador was making its first world group appearance in the Davis Cup since 200