PARIS: Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray sprinted through their Davis Cup openers on Friday to edge Serbia and defending champions Great Britain closer to a dream quarter-final showdown.
World number one Djokovic showed no signs of the eye infection which brought his run of 17 successive finals to an end in Dubai last week as he brushed past Kazakhstan’s Aleksandr Nedovyesov 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in Belgrade.
Djokovic, who led Serbia to the 2010 title, did require treatment on a left shoulder problem although it did not prevent him from securing an easy win over his 200th-ranked opponent.
“The shoulder is nothing and the eye infection is behind me so I am looking forward to playing the doubles on Saturday,” said Djokovic.
World number 23 Viktor Troicki will tackle Kazakhstan’s top player, Mikhail Kukushkin, the world 79, in Friday’s second singles.
Serbia could face Great Britain in the July quarter-finals and Murray did his best to keep that clash on track when he saw off Japan’s world number 87 Taro Daniel 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 in just 90 minutes in Birmingham.
The second singles match on Friday is between Japan’s world number six Kei Nishikori and Dan Evans, who was only selected to play after Kyle Edmund failed to overcome a back injury.
Murray was playing for the first time since losing to Djokovic in last month’s Australian Open final, opting instead to spend time with new daughter Sophia, born on February 7, and wife Kim Sears.
