Cyprus advances to quarterfinal in Davis Cup group games

NICOSIA, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus has defeated Slovenia by 3-2 in this year's Davis Cup games and will encounter Portugal in the quarterfinal for Europe/Africa Zone, Group II, 2008.

On Sunday, the Mediterranean island's leading player Marcos Baghdatis won a decisive game against Slovenian Marko Tkalec. He scored the same 6-4 in three sets at Cyprus National Tennis Center in Nicosia.

Baghdatis, ranking 14 in singles, beat another Slovenian player Blaz Kavcic 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 on Friday and won a doubles with his teammate Photos Kallias on Saturday.

It was largely thanks to Baghdatis' performance that Team Cyprus triumphed, as Kallias lost two singles to his rivals during the weekend.

Cyprus remained in Europe/Africa Group II for 2008 by defeating Bulgaria in a relegation play-off in 2007. It will encounter Portugal in the group quarterfinal due in July.