France took a commanding step towards the Davis Cup Final 8 on Friday, securing a 2-0 lead over Croatia in their qualifying tie in Osijek. Debutant Corentin Moutet made an impressive start by defeating local favorite Dino Prizmic 6-4, 5-7, 6-1, before Arthur Rinderknech overcame former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4. The 10-time champions need just one more win from Saturday’s remaining rubbers to confirm their place in Bologna.
Argentina also enjoyed a strong opening in Groningen, putting the Netherlands under pressure with two straight singles victories. Tomas Etcheverry beat Jesper De Jong 6-4, 6-4, while Francisco Cerundolo powered past Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6(1), 6-1. Dutch captain Paul Haarhuis admitted his team faces an uphill battle, saying his players must be flawless on Saturday to turn the tie around.
Austria surprised hosts Hungary in Debrecen by taking a 2-0 advantage. Jurij Rodionov, ranked 158th, stunned Fabian Marozsan 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5, and Lukas Neumayer edged out Marton Fucsovics in a tense 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(7) contest.
Germany, meanwhile, asserted control in Tokyo. Jan-Lennard Struff battled past Yoshihito Nishioka in three sets, and teammate Yannick Hanfmann cruised past Shintaro Mochizuki to double the lead against Japan.
In Delray Beach, the United States and the Czech Republic ended the day level at 1-1. Jiri Lehecka gave the visitors an early advantage with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Frances Tiafoe, but American number one Taylor Fritz responded strongly, defeating Jakub Mensik 6-4, 6-3 in front of a supportive home crowd.
Elsewhere, Spain’s tie against Denmark in Marbella and Australia’s home clash with Belgium are set to begin on Saturday. Defending champions Italy have already secured their Final 8 berth as hosts, while the seven remaining spots will be filled by this weekend’s winners.
