Novak Djokovic kept alive Serbia’s hopes of winning its second Davis Cup title in four seasons by beating Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in the first reverse singles match Sunday to even the final at 2-2.
Second-ranked Djokovic won 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-2 to improve his career record against Berdych to 15-2.
The best-of-five series will now be decided in the final match between Radek Stepanek and Serbian cup rookie Dusan lajovic.
Djokovic, who improved his winning streak to 24 matches since September, converted his first match point with an ace, bringing cheers from the boisterous Serbian crowd at Belgrade Arena.
The Czech Republic is defending the title. Serbia won its only Davis Cup title in 2010, beating France in Belgrade.
Earlier on Saturday, the Czechs swept past Serbia in the doubles for a 2-1 lead which brought them one victory away from retaining the cup.
Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek defeated Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (4) on the indoor hard-court at Belgrade Arena. The victory improved the Czech pair’s impressive cup doubles record to 14-1.
Before Berdych was to play Djokovic, he said, “I am in the best possible position after Saturday. I have nothing to lose. I am going to go there and fight for each point.”
Serbia captain Bogdan Obradovic said Zimonjic and Bozoljac gave their best, but lost against a better pair.
“But we were in similar situations before,” Obradovic said.
Serbia came from 2-1 down in the 2010 cup final against France, and in this year’s semifinals against Canada.
But both heroes of those ties aren’t playing. Viktor Troicki, who clinched Serbia’s only cup title in 2010, is serving a doping ban, and Janko Tipsarevic, who secured the win over Canada, is sidelined by a heel injury.
Obradovic said he was not sure if lajovic, who lost against Berdych in straight sets on Friday, would play if there’s a fifth rubber.
On Saturday, the Czechs broke Zimonjic at the start of the first two sets. Zimonjic netted an easy volley in the second set to give the Czechs a commanding two-set lead.
Stepanek played almost faultlessly. He saved the only break point for the Serbs at 2-3 in the third set with a neat drop shot. In the third-set tiebraker, Stepanek first lost his serve, but then Zimonjic and Bozoljac both suffered mini-breaks. Stepanek won the match with an ace.
“Today, it worked out really well. We fit perfectly. Honestly,” Stepanek said. “It was one of the best matches we played. But, we have to stay humble, focused and concentrated.
“If it comes down to the fifth match, I will be ready to fight to the last point.”
Zimonjic said “they were better in every aspect of the game.”
“We had a little chance in the third set, but that was the only one. They were controlling the match from the beginning to the end.”