*** ----> Germany enter quarter-finals | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Germany enter quarter-finals

Brisbane : German number one Alexander Zverev beat Nick Kyrgios in straight sets to give his country a 3-1 win over Australia in their Davis Cup World Group tie.

Zverev, 20, won 6-2 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 in Brisbane to put Germany into a quarter-final against Spain.

Kyrgios was troubled by an elbow problem and Zverev, the world number five, only faced two break points.

Italy’s Fabio Fognini beat Japan’s Yuichi Sugita to give his country a 3-1 victory in Morioka.

World number 22 Fognini edged past Sugita 3-6 6-1 3-6 7-6 7-5 in a marathon match lasting four hours and eight minutes to take Italy into the quarter-finals for the fifth time in six years.

Japan will have to enter September’s play-offs in a bid to remain among the Davis Cup elite.

Defending champions France and fourth seeds Croatia lead 2-1 in their ties against the Netherlands and Canada respectively heading into Sunday.

Belgium are 2-1 up against Hungary.