Radek Stepanek's five-set win over Ivo Karlovic helped the Czech Republic build a 2-0 lead over Croatia at a Davis Cup semifinal at Porec, Croatia. The scores of the near 6-hour match, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (2-7), 16-14, put the Czechs within one victory of advancing to the Davis Cup finals. The fourth-longest match in Davis Cup history featured a record 78 aces by the 6-foot-10 Karlovic, a 30-game marathon fifth set and just one service break. Also, the 82 games played equaled the record for the most number of games played in a single match since the tie-break was introduced to Davis Cup competition in 1989. The crowd was amazing, Stepanek said.

The Czech Republic will send Top 20 singles players Radek Stepanek and Tomas Berdych into the Davis Cup semifinals Friday in Croatia. Stepanek, ranked No. 17, is to meet hard-serving No.

Radek Stepanek scored a straight-set victory over Juan Monaco Sunday, giving the Czech Republic a 3-2 win over Argentina in the Davis Cup quarterfinals. The Czech team will play Croatia in the semifinals in September.

Radek Stepanek's straight-set win over Gilles Simon gave the Czech Republic all the points it needed to oust France Sunday in the Davis Cup. Stepanek topped Simon 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, 7-6 (7-0) at Cez Arena in the Czech city of Ostrava to give his team an insurmountable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five competition. France's Joe-Wilfried Tsonga edged Jan Hernych 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-0) in a later match, closing the final score to 3-2. The Czechs will go against Argentina in the cup quarterfinals in July.

A doubles victory by Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek Saturday gave the Czechs a 2-1 Davis Cup lead over France in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Berdych and Stepanek, late replacements for Lukas Dlouhy and Jan Hernych, topped Richard Gasquet and Michael Llodra 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2. Czech captain Jaroslav Navratil's decision to go with the experience of veterans Berdych and Stepanek paid off, putting his team in position to get a victory Sunday. We played an outstanding match, Berdych said.