MADRID, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Russia advanced into the last four of the Davis Cup Finals for the first time after edging Serbia in a dramatic third set tie-break to win the crucial doubles rubber here on Friday.
Spain will make its second straight semifinal appearance after Rafael Nadal and Marcel Granollers defeated Maximo Gonzalez and Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in the decisive doubles match in front of a vocal crowd at the Caja Magica center court.
Guido Pella had defeated Pablo Carreno Busta 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4), 6-1 in the first singles, but Nadal had kept Spain in contention with an easy 6-1, 6-2 win over Diego Schwartzman for his 27th straight Davis Cup singles victory.
In another quarterfinal contested earlier, Andrey Rublev of Russia delivered a dominant performance in the first singles match, crushing Filip Krajinovic 6-1, 6-2 to heap pressure on the Serbian team.
Novak Djokovic lived up his world No. 2 status, as the Serbian star guided his team back on level terms by winning his singles match 6-3, 6-3 against Karen Khachanov.
Djokovic was also called upon to form part of Serbia's men's doubles team with Viktor Troicki, but was unable to prevent Rublev and Khachanov winning the opening set 6-4.
Djokovic and Troicki won the second set by the same score to force the contest into a decider. Rublev and Khachanov saved three match points before winning the tie-break 10-8 to seal a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win.
Russia will now face Canada, who booked their place in only their third Davis Cup semi-final by beating Australia 2-1 in the new-look tournament.
Spain will face Britain, who overcame Germany in their quarter-final match.
