Russians eliminate ex-Cal star, Sweden from Davis Cup

Daniil Medvedev, practicing in Indian Wells in Octo-
ber, clinched the Russian Tennis Federation's 2-0
win over Sweden today. Photo by Paul Bauman

   The Russian Tennis Federation, with two of the top five singles players in the world, clinched a victory over Sweden today before ex-University of California, Berkeley star Andre Goransson could get on the court in the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup Finals.

   Fifth-ranked Andrey Rublev edged Elias Ymer 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (3) in Madrid to give the Russians a 1-0 lead. Second-ranked Daniil Medvedev, who won his first Grand Slam title in the U.S. Open in September, then beat Ymer's younger brother, Mikael, 6-4, 6-4 in the best-of-three-match competition.

   Goransson's doubles match was canceled.

   The Russian Tennis Federation will face Germany, playing without third-ranked Alexander Zverev, on Saturday at 4 a.m. PST (live stream on CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App.) in Madrid. The Russians seek their first Davis Cup title since 2006, with Dmitry Tursunov, and the Germans their first since 1993.

   In the other semifinal, Novak Djokovic and 2010 champion Serbia will play 2018 titlist Croatia, featuring the top-ranked doubles pair of Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic, on Friday at 7 a.m. (CBSSN) in Madrid.

   Juniors — No. 2 seed Viacheslav Bielinskyi of Ukraine defeated wild card Michael Zheng, a Stanford commit from Montville, N.J., 6-2, 6-4 in the third round of the boys 18-and-under division in the Eddie Herr International Championships in Bradenton, Fla.

   Wild cards Zheng and Benjamin Kittay of Potomac, Md., reached the doubles semifinals.

   Meanwhile, wild card Rudy Quan of Sacramento, Calif., and No. 3 seed Kristina Penickova of Campbell, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay Area advanced to the singles semifinals in the boys 16s and girls 12s, respectively.