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Washington - A United States doubles victory by Jack Sock and Steve Johnson completed a first-round Davis Cup sweep of Switzerland on Saturday, sending the Americans into a quarter-final matchup against Australia.
Sock and Johnson defeated Swiss Henri Laaksonen and Adrien Bossel 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) after the hosts swept both Friday singles matches at Birmingham, Alabama.
The US duo saved a set point in the third on their way to forcing the tie-breaker.
"We were fortunate to get back there in the third and not be playing a fourth set," Sock said. "It was a lot of fun, my first doubles match in a Davis Cup tie... Stevie and I came out today and had a lot of fun together."
Sock downed Marco Chiudinelli 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 and big-serving John Isner bested Laaksonen 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/1) in singles and the doubles victory left only dead rubbers for Sunday's scheduled singles matchups between Isner and Chiudinelli and Sock and Laaksonen.
The big US lead helped relax Johnson, in only his second Davis Cup tie.
"Actually no nerves, which is a good thing," Johnson said. "I was nervous my first tie but having Jack and John win two singles, there was less pressure for us today, so it was fun."
The Americans improved to 4-1 against the Swiss in Davis Cup play, including a 1992 final triumph by 3-1 for a US squad that included Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe and Jim Courier.
The lone Swiss win came in 2001 thanks to Roger Federer's two singles triumphs and contributions in a doubles win.
