BOLOGNA, ITALY — Marcel Granolles and Pedro Martínez Portelo defeated Tomas Machak and Jakub Mencik in a tiebreaker, helping Spain, without top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, beat the Czech Republic and advance to Thursday’s Davis Cup semifinals.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz withdrew this week with a hamstring injury.
After both teams split two singles matches, Granojes and Martinez won the doubles match 7-6 (8), 7-6 (8) at Super Tennis Arena, advancing to the quarterfinals.
Spain will face second-place Germany or Argentina in the final quarter-final on Thursday.
The 20-year-old Mencic hit 20 aces en route to a 7-5, 6-4 victory over veteran Pablo Carreno Busta, followed by Jaume Munar, who defeated world No. 17 Jiri Rehechka 6-3, 6-4 to win Spain’s first Davis Cup singles title.
Spain had not reached the semi-finals since winning the tournament for the sixth time in 2019, while fourth-seeded Czech Republic had been eliminated since 2014.
Leaders Italy, aiming for their third consecutive victory and fourth place overall, will face Belgium in the other semi-final. The Italian team is without world No. 2 Jannik Sinner, who is resting.
The Davis Cup final in Bologna will be the sixth of the revamped event to determine the champion on a neutral site.
