Argentina book place in Davis Cup semifinals

Buenos Aires: Four-time Davis Cup runners-up Argentina have entered the semifinals of the 2012 edition, beating Croatia 4-1 at home.

Argentina`s Juan Martin del Potro, ranked 10th in the world, crushed Croatia`s Marin Cilic, ranked 23rd, 6-1, 6-2 and 6-1 at Parque Roca`s outdoor clay courts in Buenos Aires to end the three-day quarterfinal Sunday. The duel began Friday at Mary Teran de Weiss stadium, which was packed with 14,500 spectators on each of the three days, Xinhua reported. In the men`s singles, Juan Monaco (ranked 16th) beat Antonio Veic (150) 6-1, 6-1. Saturday, Cilic beat David Nalbandian (50) 5-7, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (2) and 6-3 in a match that lasted more than five hours. In the following match, Del Potro, still suffering from a stomach ailment, beat Ivo Karlovic (52) 6-2, 7-6 (7) and 6-1. In another five-hour match Saturday, the Nalbandian-Eduardo Schwank doubles team defeated the team of Cilic-Karlovic 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-7 (6) and 8-6. Argentina will face the Czech Republic in semi-finals Sept 14-16, also in Buenos Aires. The other semi-final will see Spain, which beat Austria 4-1, play the United States (France, 3-2). IANS