Andreas Haider-Maurer

World number one Novak Djokovic steered Serbia to the brink of the Davis Cup quarter-finals Friday, easing past Belgium's Olivier Rochus on a makeshift court he described as the worst he's ever encountered.

World number one Novak Djokovic steered Serbia to the brink of the Davis Cup quarter-finals Friday, easing past Belgian veteran Olivier Rochus on a makeshift court he described as the worst he's ever encountered.

Serbia's Viktor Troicki defeated Belgium's David Goffin in a Davis Cup five-set thriller on Friday, mastering a clay court condemned as dangerous by world number one compatriot Novak Djokovic.

Spain's Davis Cup juggernaut collided with an unexpected Austrian roadblock on Saturday while the Czech Republic and Serbia took their bitter quarter-final feud onto Twitter.

Spain's Davis Cup juggernaut collided with an unexpected Austrian roadblock on Saturday while the Czech Republic and Serbia took their bitter quarter-final feud onto Twitter.

Spain's Nicolas Almagro and David Ferrer demolished Austria on the opening day of their Davis Cup quarter-final Friday as the five-time champions moved to the verge of the semi-finals.

The kings of clay are set to reign as holders Spain are favourites to keep their Davis Cup title defence on track despite taking on old foes Austria without world number two Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals at home starting on Friday.

The kings of clay are set to reign as holders Spain are favourites to keep their Davis Cup title defence on track despite taking on old foes Austria without world number two Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals at home starting on Friday.

Second seed Jurgen Melzer and Australian Lleyton Hewitt continued summer hardcourt losing streaks, to exit the Winston-Salem Open Monday.

Second seed Jurgen Melzer has continued his summer hardcourt losing streak, suffering a 7-5, 6-3 opening defeat to Russian Igor Andreev to exit the Winston-Salem Open.

Rising Japanese star Kei Nishikori ended Marin Cilic's bid for a hat-trick of titles at the ATP Chennai Open with a first round upset on Monday.

Almagro had a one-match interlude indoors in a Davis Cup loss to France in July, but last played a tournament under the roof at Paris Bercy last November, winning a round before losing to compatriot Rafael Nadal.

VIENNA (Reuters) - Former world number one Thomas Muster lost in straight sets to a fellow Austrian little more than half his age as he returned to the ATP circuit Tuesday after an 11-year absence.

Kubot defeated Blake, now the world number 125, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round at the Stadthalle to book a date with holder and top seed Jurgen Melzer - the pair met here in 2006 with victory going to the number 12 ranked Austrian favourite.

Kubot defeated Blake, now the world number 125, 6-4, 6-4 in the first round at the Stadthalle to book a date with holder and top seed Jurgen Melzer - the pair met here in 2006 with victory going to the number 12 ranked Austrian favourite.

The Latvian, ranked 24th and more than two decades younger than Muster, would have admittedly been a handful for the one-time Austrian king of clay granted a wild card entry by the tournament.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Robin Soderling avoided becoming the first big-name casualty of the U.S. Open as the fifth seed secured a 7-5 6-3 6-7 5-7 6-4 first-round victory over Andreas Haider-Maurer on Monday.

Roger Federer nearly saw the highest-ranked obstacle in his path to the US Open semi-finals eliminated in the first round, but Robin Soderling survived a Monday struggle against a Grand Slam debutante.

Roger Federer nearly saw the highest-ranked obstacle in his path to the US Open semi-finals eliminated in the first round, but Robin Soderling survived on Monday against a Grand Slam debutante.

Five-time former winner Roger Federer and reigning women's champion Kim Clijsters were both scheduled to be in action on the opening day of the US Open at Flushing Meadows on Monday.