Czechs, Serbs tied at Davis Cup semis

BELGRADE, Serbia, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Janko Tipsarevic took a four-set victory Friday for Serbia and evened the Serbians' Davis Cup semifinal series with the Czech Republic at a match apiece.

Tipsarevic stopped Tomas Berdych 7-5, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) and offset Czech player Radek Stepanek's 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Viktor Troicki, leaving the best-of-five series tied.

Troicki was called into the lineup to replace world No. 2 Novak Djokovic, who was ill and unable to play Friday.

The split of Friday's matches means Saturday's doubles play will give one team an important edge. Troicki is to team with Nenad Zimonjic for the Serbs while the Czech counter with the team of Jan Hajek and Ivo Minar.

Sunday's singles schedule currently has Troicki going against Berdych and Tipsarevic meeting Stepanek.

Tipsarevic claimed the first two sets and seemed in control, but Berdych, the world No. 7, came back with a strong third set in which he didn't face a break point. He got an early break in the fourth set before Tipsarevic notched his fifth break of the match and closed things out in the tie-breaker.

Stepanek survived a 20-ace attack from Troicki but managed five breaks spread across the match for the win.

The Czech Republic-Serbia series winner moves to December's Davis Cup finals against either Argentina or France. The French grabbed a 2-0 lead in that best-of-five semifinal Friday.