Emotions are running high after the earlier drama. Tears from the Serbian team after missing out on the final in such dramatic fashion and also because today marks the final day of former top 10 player Janko Tipsarevic’s playing career.
As things stand, Russia’s victory put them into the semi-final against Canada, the new tennis power. It will be two two-man teams in that round, with Rublev and Khachanov facing off against Vasek Pospisil and Denis Shapovalov.
In the bottom half of the knockout draw, the winner of Great Britain vs Germany will face the winner of Spain vs Argentina.
These two upcoming quarterfinal ties will have a tough act to follow. Earlier today, the two-man next gen Russian team of Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov took out Novak Djokovic’s Serbian team in a dramatic final doubles rubber, defeating Djokovic and Viktor Troicki 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(8) while saving three match points in the process.
There was good tennis, bad tennis (four singles players in a tense doubles match is not always pretty), Troicki screaming at the umpire and plenty of drama.
Here are the official nominations for tonight. As Great Britain and Germany do battle on Stadium 2, Spain and Argentina will face off in the main stadium and could provide plenty of its own drama should Pella win that crucial first rubber.
Updated
Preamble
Hello! Welcome to our coverage of Day 5 and quarterfinal day of the Davis Cup Madrid Finals. Yesterday afternoon, Great Britain just about clinched their spot in the quarters after Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski outplayed Alexander Bublik and Mikhail Kukushkin in the third round of the doubles. Today, they face a stern test from a Germany team that is flying under the radar but playing very well.
Leon Smith announced his team moments ago and it comes with a surprise – Andy Murray will not be playing today. After his heroics in Antwerp last month, Murray took 12 days off to rest his elbow and relax after the birth of his third child. He returned just a little undercooked this week and barely survived No 179 Tallon Griekspoor in a third set tiebreak.
Kyle Edmund played a great match to defeat Kukushkin yesterday and he will be in to replace Murray, where he will face veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber before Dan Evans tackles the big serving Jan Lennard Struff. These are two even matches and they could go either way. Just like yesterday’s tie, it could easily come down to the doubles, which will feature two top teams as Murray and Skupski take on French Open champions Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies.