Davis Cup 2018: Germany beat Australia to reach quarter-finals

German captain Michael Kohlmann said the victory over a strong Australian team "showed we are able to go further than this"

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.

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Defending champions France reached the quarter-finals for the ninth consecutive year with a 3-1 win over the Netherlands.

Croatia also reached the last eight as Borna Coric registered a straight-set win over Canada's Denis Shapovalov to seal the tie 3-1, while David Goffin beat Hungary's Marton Fucsovics to ensure Belgium's progression.

Australian Kyrgios, 22, went into the match against Germany's Zverev full of expectation after an impressive win over Jan-Lennard Struff in Friday's opening singles.

His elbow problem became more noticeable as the match progressed, the Australian often shaking his right arm between points.

"It obviously affected me a lot," Kyrgios said. "My serve is my biggest strength. I mean, I thought he played great today - but my serve was not really there and that affects the rest of my game."

"Hopefully this is just the beginning for us," Zverev said after beating Kyrgios.

"It's awesome, it's an amazing feeling and without my team-mates it wouldn't have been possible."

Zverev - who was pushed for almost four hours before seeing off 18-year-old Alex de Minaur in five sets on Friday - was rarely troubled.

Kyrgios lost two of his first four service games to surrender the opening set in just 23 minutes. He served better in the second set, firing down eight aces, but at 4-3 he had a medical timeout for treatment on his arm. The Australian had two set points on Zverev's serve at 6-5, but the German saved both then played a superb tie-break to take a stranglehold on the match.