Perhaps, then, it was to be expected that Great Britain’s tie against Serbia in Belgrade and Argentina’s against Italy in Pesaro-a hop, skip and a jump west and across the Adriatic-would be hit by the same persistent wet weather on the first of their three days of action.
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Leon Smith’s side will face Argentina for a place in only their third Davis Cup final since 1937 after the South Americans eliminated Italy 3-1 courtesy of Federico Delbonis’ clinching 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 win over Fabio Fognini.
Kyle Edmund was the star once again for Britain as, in the absence of Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, he secured his second straight-sets victory of the tie to beat Dusan Lajovic.
The 21-year-old Edmund also won his opening singles on Friday against Janko Tipsarevic as he assumed the role of leader of the team because Murray was on the sidelines.
In the final and meaningless match, Janko Tipsarevic beat James Ward 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 to leave the final score at 3-2 for Britain.
Edmund brought up match point a few minutes later, and when Lajovic’s single-handed backhand strayed into the tramlines he had his man. Edmund closed his eyes, buckled at the knees and lay down on the clay with an agonised expression that suggested pain but was in fact an outpouring of relief.
The world number two has taken Edmund under his wing since it became clear the Yorkshireman was the country’s brightest prospect and seen him develop into one of the most exciting young talents in the game.
The US leads 2-1 heading into Sunday’s reverse singles. Lajovic broke for 5-5, and the Briton fended off two set points to take it to a tie-break.
Edmund remained unperturbed despite the pressurised situation and served for the match at 5-4 in the third set. Fognini went up early, Delbonis came back to even terms, and Fognini, despite some racket throwing, broke back and held on.
In a dramatic fourth, Delbonis’ errors had him down 5-3 before breaking serve at love for 5-4.
The Brit’s serve was also immaculate and he didn’t face a break point in the entire first set, but perhaps the most impressive element of Edmund’s game was his mental resolve which rarely flickered on such a huge stage.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga sent France into the last-four after beating Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic to hand his team an unassailable 3-1 lead in Trinec.
The Czech rising star began well to take the first set 6-4, but was unable to match his opponent thereafter.
Cilic finally broke Isner’s serve during the eighth game of the second set, leading to a 6-3 win and a two-set lead.
And in Saturday’s doubles rubber, Wimbledon champions Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert beat Radek Stepanek and Rosol in five sets.
On Friday, the Czechs took the lead in the tie as world No. 78 Lukas Rosol stunned Tsonga before Lucas Pouille, ranked 21st, then swept Vesely in straight sets.
Argentina, though, the only nation of the eight this week never to have won the Davis Cup, keeps alive its hopes of a first title after being runner-up four times-more finals without winning than any other nation. The French will have to travel for the semifinal against Croatia.
Jack Sock faced Croatia’s Borna Coric in the final match on the Tualatin Hills hard courts.
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The U.S.-Croatia victor will advance to the World Group semifinals against France on September 16-18.
