Paes proves the deciding factor

The result ensured India stayed in Asia-Oceania Group 1 next year. The team lost 4-1 to Uzbekistan in the group’s first round tie in February.

Earlier in the day, Kazakhstan drew level with the visitors after their number one player Alexey Kedryuk beat Rohan Bopanna in the first reverse singles.

Bopanna came back strongly after losing the first two sets but Kedryuk held his nerve in the decider to win in five sets, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4 at Baganashil Sports Complex. Paes and Bopanna had won the crucial doubles rubber yesterday to put India 2-1 up.

Bopanna beat Makeyev while Rastogi lost to Kedryuk in the opening singles on Friday.

Safin puts Russia in semis

MOSCOW: In the World Group, Sebastien Grosjean did his part for France, but Paul-Henri Mathieu went down to Marat Safin, giving Russia a semi-final spot.

Grosjean beat Igor Andreev 7-5, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday in the first reverse singles match to level the best-of-five series against Russia at 2-2, but Safin put the tie beyond France’s reach when he beat Mathieu 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2.

Germany, Sweden and the United States qualified for the semi-finals on Saturday, each taking 3-0 leads.

Mikhail Youzhny had beaten Richard Gasquet 6-2, 6-3, 6-7 (8), 5-7, 8-6 in Friday’s second singles match, and Andreev and Nikolay Davydenko edged Grosjean and Michael Llodra 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in Saturday’s doubles. Germany will play Russia in the semi-finals in September.

Bjorkman teamed with Thomas Johansson to win Saturday’s doubles against Guillermo Canas and David Nalbandian. Sweden will play the United States in the September 21-23 semi-finals.

The 31-time champion Americans advanced on indoor hard courts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The top-ranked doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan beat Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez of Spain 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) Saturday.