Underdogs France and the Czech Republic have taken 2-0 leads in their Davis Cup quarterfinals, while the other two ties are at 1-1 after the opening singles.

FRA – ESP 2-0: Despite missing Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet, the French team delighted the home crowds by pulling out two close matches against Spain, also missing its top player in Rafael Nadal. Gael Monfils staved off David Ferrer 7-6 (3), 6-2, 4-6, 5-7, 6-4 in the opening singles, and Michael Llodra wriggled past Fernando Verdasco 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (2) on the fast indoor court.

CHI – CZE 0-2: The Czech Republic is another under-manned team — neither Tomas Berdych or Radek Stepanek, who together took the Czechs all the way to last year’s final, is taking part in this tie. But their substitutes came through on the opening day against Chile on clay, with Ivo Minar cruising past Nicolas Massu 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 and Jan Hajek losing even fewer games in defeating Paul Capdeville 6-0, 6-2, 6-1.

CRO – SRB 1-1: The most hotly anticipated tie of the quarterfinals saw both teams end the day level after Novak Djokovic took down Ivan Ljubicic 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-1 and Marin Cilic evened the score for the Croatians by defeating Viktor Troicki 6-4, 7-5, 6-2. As expected, the partisan crowd in the Croatian city of Split produced a rauccous atmosphere for the first-ever Davis Cup meeting beween the two Balkan nations. The Serbs had earlier voiced concerns about Split hosting the tie, fearing that things could get more heated than in a larger city like Zagreb.

There was no violence, but anti-Serb jeers were heard from the stands. “It was strange to see guys, the crowd, whistling on Serbian anthem and the players and so loud on ours,” the Davis Cup website quoted Ljubicic as saying. “You could feel the emotion so it was really difficult for me to play the first couple of games.”

“It’s sensitive circumstances that we play in,” Djokovic said. “We had expected the heated atmosphere before we came here, but I’m sorry that some fans behaved the way they did at the start of the match… in the end I got a nice appreciation from the crowd for what I have done today, so this is what I remember from the match.”

RUS – ARG 1-1: Davis Cup crusader David Nalbandian returned from three-month injury layoff with a 6-4, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6) victory over Nikolay Davydenko, who also returned recently from a four-month injury break. But Mikhail Youzhny put the Russians back on even terms by defeating Leonardo Mayer 6-3, 6-1, 6-4. Argentina is missing its top player, Juan Martin del Potro, as well as Juan Monaco—both sidelined after wrist injuries.

The teams will each contest the doubles on Saturday.

DEN BOSCH, Netherlands (AP)—Top-seeded Justine Henin beat No. 7 Andrea Petkovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to win the Unicef Open on Saturday and her first grass-court title in three years.

After trading the first two sets, Petkovic took the initiative by breaking her Belgian opponent in the second game of the last set before consolidating a comfortable 3-0 lead.

But Henin, who was using the tournament to prepare for Wimbledon and who had been given a wild card to enter, held serve and blasted a forehand winner on her way to breaking the German player in the fifth game.

Henin, who did not drop a set or face a tiebreak heading into Sunday’s final, then completed a stunning recovery by forcing another break in the ninth game.

“Andrea gave me a lot of problems in the third set when I had to come back from 3-0 down,” said Henin, the 2001 champion at Den Bosch. “I kept fighting. I needed to win on the grass.”

Despite twice reaching the final, Henin is still looking for her first Wimbledon title. She resumed her career in January after 20 months in retirement.

Earlier Saturday, Sergiy Stakhovsky beat seventh-seeded Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-0 to win the men’s event.

Stakhovsky unsettled his Serbian opponent with a slicing backhand and some precise net play to win his third ATP title in 55 minutes on Saturday.

The unseeded Ukrainian had previously won titles in Zagreb in 2008 and St. Petersburg last year.

MUNICH (AP)—His opening match delayed 24 hours by rain, top-seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia showed no distraction as he handled Michael Berrer of Germany 6-4, 6-2 at the BMW Open on Wednesday.

Cilic defeated Berrer in the final at Zagreb in February for his second title of the year.

Defending champion Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic reached the quarterfinals by defeating Spanish qualifier Pere Riba 7-5, 6-1. Last year’s runner-up Mikhail Youzhny of Russia, also went through to the last eight by beating Andreas Beck of Germany 6-3, 6-3 in a match interrupted by rain.

Jan Hajek of the Czech Republic made the first quarterfinals by defeating eighth-seeded Benjamin Becker of Germany, 6-4, 6-0.

In first-round play, fourth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber ousted German compatriot Daniel Brands 6-4, 6-4, and sixth-seeded Nicolas Almagro of Spain beat Kristof Vliegen of Belgium 6-3, 6-1.

The ITF has officially announced the Croatian Tennis Association’s selection of Split as the venue for Croatia’s Davis Cup quarterfinal tie with Serbia this summer. The tie, which will be held from July 9-11 in Spaladium Arena, will mark the first time those two nations have met in Davis Cup Play. Serbia’s team captain, Bogdan Obradovic, had requested that the tie be played in the Croatian capital, Zagreb, which is considered a less nationalistic city than Split.

“I expect a friendly atmosphere, regardless of all the malicious comments that appear on forums,” Obradovic said last week. “Some evil spirits of the past still haven’t settled, it seems. Tennis, however, has a special dimension to it, and fans’ behavior is different. I hope the hosts understand that.”—M.C.

Blic reports that the Croatian city of Split will host the country’s Davis Cup quarterfinal tie against Serbia.

Serbian Davis Cup team captain Bogdan Obradovic had requested that the tie be played in Zagreb, considered less nationalistic than Split. “They seemed to have decided to have it played in Split, probably after consultations with the ITF,” Obradovic told Blic. “[All] we can do about it is to request certain security measures to be applied.

“I expect a friendly atmosphere, regardless of all the malicious comments that appear on forums. Some evil spirits of the past still haven’t settled, it seems. Tennis, however, has a special dimension to it, and fans’ behavior is different. I hope the hosts understand that.”

The 12,000-seat Spaladium Arena will be the venue of the July 9-11 tie.

The decision also means that Serbia will be without team advisor Niki Pilic, who has it in his contract that  he can withdraw his position if a tie is played against his home nation in his hometown of Split. In the past, Pilic has coached both German and Croat teams to Davis Cup titles.

“Naturally, this is a blow for us,” Obradovic said. “Regardless of his huge influence, I must say our strength lies in our individual players. It’s bad news he won’t be there with us in Split, but it’s up to the hosts to wonder why he feels unwelcome in his own hometown.”—M.C.

Blic reports that the Croatian city of Split will host the country’s Davis Cup quarterfinal tie against Serbia.

Serbian Davis Cup team captain Bogdan Obradovic had requested that the tie be played in Zagreb, considered less nationalistic than Split. “They seemed to have decided to have it played in Split, probably after consultations with the ITF,” Obradovic told Blic. “[All] we can do about it is to request certain security measures to be applied.

“I expect a friendly atmosphere, regardless of all the malicious comments that appear on forums. Some evil spirits of the past still haven’t settled, it seems. Tennis, however, has a special dimension to it, and fans’ behavior is different. I hope the hosts understand that.”

The 12,000-seat Spaladium Arena will be the venue of the July 9-11 tie.

The decision also means that Serbia will be without team advisor Niki Pilic, who has it in his contract that  he can withdraw his position if a tie is played against his home nation in his hometown of Split. In the past, Pilic has coached both German and Croat teams to Davis Cup titles.

“Naturally, this is a blow for us,” Obradovic said. “Regardless of his huge influence, I must say our strength lies in our individual players. It’s bad news he won’t be there with us in Split, but it’s up to the hosts to wonder why he feels unwelcome in his own hometown.”—M.C.

Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic says that the Serbian Davis Cup team doesn’t have to worry about their safety during the July Davis Cup tie between the two nations.

DPA reported that Serbian Davis Cup coach Bogdan Obradovic has requested that the tie be played in the Croatian capital of Zagreb, saying it would be a a high-risk match if held in front of a more nationalistic crowd in Split.

“That’s just  bad call from the Serbians,” Ljubcic said in a conversation at Indian Wells. “People in Split will be just as fair as they would be in Zagreb.  Now what’s going to happen is the crowd is going to be even louder.

“I understand that it’s big, but all the players on tour are friends. We have no rivalries where we hate each other or special feelings because someone comes from another country. They will probably feel it from the crowd, but I hope it stays on the court. They are not going to be in any danger. There are probably going to be a couple of people screaming and shouting to distract the players but you have this in Davis Cup anyway.

These guys have been coming to Croatia for years. Novak Djokovic played Umag for many years, Victor Troicki and Janko Tipsarevic have played in Croatia. Nenad Zimonjic was on my boat last year. They are comfortable in Croatia.”-M.C.

After trying out the role in Zagreb last month, Goran Ivanisevic will continue to coach Marin Cilic at selected events this spring.

Former Wimbledon champ Ivanisevic spotted Cilic as a teenager and sent him to train at former coach Bob Brett’s academy in San Remo, Italy.

“Bob is still his coach but in Miami and Madrid I am going to be his replacement while he is not there,” Ivanisevic told the ATP Champions Tour. “I will be like a mentor to Marin.

After trying out the role in Zagreb last month, Goran Ivanisevic will continue to coach Marin Cilic at selected events this spring.

Former Wimbledon champ Ivanisevic spotted Cilic as a teenager and sent him to train at former coach Bob Brett’s academy in San Remo, Italy.

“Bob is still his coach but in Miami and Madrid I am going to be his replacement while he is not there,” Ivanisevic told the ATP Champions Tour. “I will be like a mentor to Marin.