Serbia one win from Davis Cup semifinals

HALMSTAD, Sweden, July 8 (UPI) -- Wins by Viktor Troicki and late substitute Janko Tipsarevic put defending champions Serbia up 2-0 over Sweden in the best-of-five Davis Cup quarterfinals.

Tipsarevic was called on to fill in for world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who was to have played singles Friday but cited a knee injury in asking out of the match.

Djokovic may be available for Sunday's match in which he'd play Michael Ryderstedt, although the Davis Cup Web site doesn't list him on the schedule.

Troicki kicked off the series with a 6-3, 6-1, 6-7 (6-8), 7-5 win over Ryderstedt and Tipsarevic was ahead 6-2, 1-0 when Ervin Eleskovic was unable to continue because of a knee problem.

Serbia, which won its first Davis Cup title last year, can advance to the Sept. 16-18 semifinals with one win in the next three matches. The doubles team of Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic takes on Swedes Robert Lindstedt and Simon Aspelin Saturday with reverse singles -- Tipsarevic versus Ryderstedt and Eleskovic scheduled against Troicki -- set for Sunday.

The winner of the Serbia-Sweden series will meet Argentina in the semifinals. Argentina Friday built a 3-0 lead over Kazakhstan in its quarterfinal and was assured of advancing.