Serbia, Russia to meet in Fed Cup semifinals

Serbia relied on its second-string players to come from behind to beat Belgium, 3-2, yesterday and reach the semifinals of the Fed Cup.

Facing elimination, Bojana Jovanovski beat Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens, 6-2, 6-4, to level the score at 2-2. Jovanovski then teamed with Aleksandra Krunic to beat Yanina Wickmayer and Alison Van Uytvanck in the deciding doubles, 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-1.

Serbia was without Ana Ivanovic coming into the Spiroudome this weekend and lost former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic with a left thigh injury after Saturday's opening singles.

Serbia next plays Russia in the semifinals.

Russia advanced with a 3-2 win over Spain.

Svetlana Kuznetsova clinched the victory with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win against Silvia Soler-Espinosa in the second reverse singles.

Maria Sharapova and Kuznetsova easily won their opening singles matches on Saturday, but Carla Suarez Navarro narrowed the gap when she routed Nadia Petrova, 6-0, 6-3, in the first reverse singles on the hard court at the Olympic indoor stadium.

Nuria Llagostera Vives and Arantxa Parra Santonja won the doubles match for Spain when the Russian duo of Kuznetsova and Petrova retired because of Kuznetsova's fatigue.