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Davis Cup Roundup : Czechs Win in Doubles for 2-1 Lead

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From Associated Press

Czechoslovakia took a 2-1 lead over defending champion West Germany in their Davis Cup World Group quarterfinal by winning the doubles match in five sets Saturday at Prague, Czechoslovakia.

Milan Srejber and Petr Korda beat Boris Becker and Eric Jelen, 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-3, in 3 hours 47 minutes to put Czechoslovakia one victory away from the semifinals.

In today’s deciding singles, Srejber takes on Becker while Carl-Uwe Steeb plays Karel Novacek of Czechoslovakia.

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The West Germans need to take both singles to win. The winner of the Prague match will meet the United States in the semifinals.

In the fourth-set tiebreaker, a linesman nearly handed the match to West Germany when he called Srejber for a foot fault. Srejber then double-faulted, and Jelen had the chance to close out the match. But he netted a simple volley and then double-faulted.

Becker, who served 22 aces in beating Novacek in straight sets in the opening singles Friday, dropped his serve for the third time to give the Czechs a 2-0 lead in the final set. Becker had only six aces Saturday.

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Srejber, who defeated Steeb in straight sets Friday, served out the match on his first match point when Jelen netted a return.

Stefan Edberg and Anders Jarryd beat Horst Skoff and Alexander Antonitsch, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3, to give Sweden a 2-1 lead over Austria in their quarterfinal at Vienna.

Friday, Skoff upset Mats Wilander in a six-hour marathon match, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (9-7), 1-6, 6-4, 9-7, after Edberg overpowered Antonitsch, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

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Two Yugoslav 6-footers fired a total of 27 aces to give Yugoslavia an unbeatable 3-0 lead over Spain in their quarterfinal at Split, Yugoslavia.

Slobodan Zivojinovic and Goran Ivanisevic defeated Emilio Sanchez and Sergio Casal, 4-6, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 13-11, in a four-hour battle.

Yugoslavia will next play the Sweden-Austria winner.

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