Serbia, Germany, Australia grab Davis Cup finals berths

PARIS, Feb 03 (AFP): Former champions Serbia, Germany, Australia and Italy punched tickets to the Davis Cup finals on Saturday, while Japan rallied from a 2-1 deficit as Taro Daniel won the decisive rubber to overcome China.

Serbia, playing without Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, watched their 2-0 overnight lead evaporate in Tashkent as Uzbekistan roared back to send their clash to a fifth rubber.

Denis Istomin partnered Sanjar Fayziev to a 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 win over Nikola Milojevic and Viktor Troicki in the doubles before he downed Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-4 in the singles.

But Filip Krajinovic picked up the decisive point by coming from behind to beat world number 280 Sanjar Fayziev 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 to nail down a place for Serbia at November's revamped finals in Madrid. Germany, who won the last of three titles in 1993, eased to victory over Hungary.