Davis Cup is the most emotional event in tennis. The pressures of playing for team and country either lift players up to the heights of glory or push them deep into dank pits of shame and despair. Which from a fan perspective, makes Davis Cup damn entertaining, even if you’re watching a fuzzy broadcast of Mardy Fish vs. Marin Cilic in the fifth set on clay.

Here are the highs and lows of this weekend’s Davis Cup Quarterfinals:

CZECH REPUBLIC DEFEATS ARGENTINA 3-2 in Czech Republic

You know it’s a good tie when there’s a live 5th rubber. Radek “The Worm” Stepanek steamrolled Juan Monaco in the penultimate match, inventing yet another diabolical victory dance:

“Stepanek collapsed in a heap and then, while seated, grabbed hold of an imaginary steering wheel: there had never been much doubt who was in the driving seat, although apparently there had been the night before when Stepanek’s knee condition was giving serious cause for concern.” (via daviscup.com)

Poor Juan, no wonder he was driven to tears:

CZECH REPUBLIC vs. ARGENTINA scores:

R1 – T.BERDYCH (CZE) def. J.MONACO (ARG): 6-4  2-6  2-6  6-3  6-2
R2 – J.DEL POTRO (ARG) def. I.MINAR (CZE): 6-1  6-3  6-3
R3 – R.STEPANEK / T.BERDYCH (CZE) def. L.MAYER / J.ACASUSO (ARG): 6-1  6-4  6-3
R4 – J.DEL POTRO (ARG) def. T.BERDYCH (CZE): 6-4  6-4  6-4
R5 – R.STEPANEK (CZE) def. J.MONACO (ARG): 7-6(5)  6-3  6-2

CROATIA DEFEATS USA 3-2 in Croatia

James Blake took the No. 1 spot when an injured Andy Roddick pulled from DC this weekend, and unfortunately, he couldn’t make good. Both he and Mardy Fish lost excruciating five setters on Friday, which – at over 8 hours of play – became one of the longest days in Davis Cup history. The Bryan Brothers’ victory on Saturday only served to give Blake another crushing memory as he lost the fourth rubber to a scary-good Marin Cilic.

James Blake indicated that he couldn’t handle the pressure when he complained about the “hostile” behavior of the Croatian crowd on Friday:

“To boo our fans is something I find unacceptable. . . To clap when I miss a first serve and things like that on a pretty consistent basis seems pretty hostile to me.” (via daviscup.com)

Uh, James, you did realize you were playing Davis Cup, right?

Bob Bryan scored the second point for Team USA in the dead fifth rubber.

CROATIA vs USA scores:

R1 – I.KARLOVIC (CRO) def. J.BLAKE (USA): 6-7(5)  4-6  6-3  7-6(3)  7-5
R2 – M.CILIC (CRO) def. M.FISH (USA): 4-6  6-3  6-7(3)  6-1  8-6
R3 – B.BRYAN / M.BRYAN (USA) def. R.KARANUSIC / L.ZOVKO (CRO): 6-3  6-1  6-3
R4 – M.CILIC (CRO) def. J.BLAKE (USA): 6-3  6-3  4-6  6-2
R5 – B.BRYAN (USA) def. R.KARANUSIC (CRO): 5-7  6-3  7-6(4)

ISRAEL DEFEATS RUSSIA 4-1 in Israel

Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich secured the third crucial point in their doubles match against Marat Safin and Igor Kunitsyn on Saturday, taking Israel into the Davis Cup semis for the first time in history.

From Israel’s team captain Eyal Ran:

“I actually can’t describe how I feel. I am so proud to be an Israeli today, to be a part of this team, so proud to be part of this sport and Davis Cup tennis.” (via JTA)

This is yet another disappointing pre-retirement result for Marat Safin, who helped usher Team Russia to Davis Cup glory in 2002 and 2006. Not that losing makes him any less photogenic:

ISRAEL vs. RUSSIA scores:

R1 – H.LEVY (ISR) def. I.ANDREEV (RUS): 6-4  6-2  4-6  6-2
R2 – D.SELA (ISR) def. M.YOUZHNY (RUS): 3-6  6-1  6-0  7-5
R3 – J.ERLICH / A.RAM (ISR) def. I.KUNITSYN / M.SAFIN (RUS): 6-3  6-4  6-7(3)  4-6  6-4
R4 – I.ANDREEV (RUS) def. D.SELA (ISR): 4-3 – Retired
R5 – H.LEVY (ISR) def. I.KUNITSYN (RUS): 6-4  4-6  7-6(2)

SPAIN DEFEATS GERMANY 3-2 in Spain

We learned a few things from this tie in Marbella, Spain. First of all, Spain knows how to fill a tennis stadium:

Second, Philipp Kohlschreiber is having a great year. After beating Novak Djokovic in the French and taking Roger to four sets at Wimbledon, the German won both his rubbers on clay in Spain. His second match was a must-win five set victory over Fernando Verdasco on Sunday to even the tie 2-all.

But 29-year-old Juan Carlos Ferrero is having an even better 2009. He last played Davis Cup in 2005 and was subbed in for Tommy Robredo at the last minute on Sunday, but he proved that he’s still player enough to win live fifth rubbers: “It’s amazing what I felt on court today,” he said after taking out Andreas Beck in straights.

Also amazing, how well the Spanish do group celebrations. Even without Rafael Nadal, they pull off sexy-crows’ feet and tussled, sweaty hair better than any other team:

Speaking of sexy Spaniards, Antonio Banderas is a fan:

SPAIN vs. GERMANY scores:

R1 – F.VERDASCO (ESP) def. A.BECK (GER): 6-0  3-6  6-7(4)  6-2  6-1
R2 – P.KOHLSCHREIBER (GER) def. T.ROBREDO (ESP): 6-3  6-4  6-4
R3 – F.LOPEZ / F.VERDASCO (ESP) def. N.KIEFER / M.ZVEREV (GER): 6-3  7-6(1)  6-7(6)  6-3
R4 – P.KOHLSCHREIBER (GER) def. F.VERDASCO (ESP): 6-4  6-2  1-6  2-6  8-6
R5 – J.FERRERO (ESP) def. A.BECK (GER): 6-4  6-4  6-4

The Davis Cup excitement continues in September’s semifinals. Spain will host Israel and Croatia will host the Czech Republic.

All photos via Daylife

Stepanek in the driver’s seat: SAMUEL KUBANI/AFP/Getty Images

Juan Monaco cries: AP Photo/Petr David Josek

Blake talks to the towel: AP Photo/Darko Bandic

Marin Cilic celebration: HRVOJE POLAN/AFP/Getty Images

Hostile Mohawk: HRVOJE POLAN/AFP/Getty Images

Ehrlich and Ram make history: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Woe is Safin: AP Photo/Ariel Schalit

Kissy face Safin: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Passionate Safin: AP Photo/Ariel Schalit

Rockin’ stadium: REUTERS/Jon Nazca

Kohlscreiber’s glory: DIEGO TUSON/AFP/Getty Images

Verdasco blames his brain: REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

Crows feet confidential: REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo

Antonio Banderas fan and fans: AP Photo/Sergio Torres

It’s confirmed: A last-ditch attempt to move the Davis Cup tie to Stockholm has failed, meaning there will be no fans allowed in the stadium for the Sweden vs. Israel Davis Cup tie next week in Malmo, Sweden. Local officials expect up to 12,000 people to gather outside the stadium for a “Stop the Match” protest that they fear could turn violent.  So the city is choosing to keep the tie closed to spectators despite safety assurances from police and pressure from both the Swedish Tennis Association and the ITF.

ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti has said: “We do not agree with the decision by the Malmo authorities to exclude the public, and even at this late date, maintain our request that the decision not to allow spectators be reconsidered.”

Andy Ram, the Israeli tennis player who was at the center of the Dubai visa controversy last week also protested the decision: “When I heard about the decision playing without a crowd, that freaked me out. This is really something bad I think, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

This is the second time in Davis Cup history that a tie will be closed to spectators in Sweden. The first was in 1975, when Sweden played Chile in Bastad two years after a military coup led by Augusto Pinochet against the elected Chilean government of Salvador Allende.

Here’s the full story from Yahoo Sports:

MALMO, Sweden (AP)—About 1,000 police from seven counties will handle security for Sweden’s Davis Cup match against Israel next week amid fears that protests could turn violent.

Police commissioner Hakan Jarborg Eriksson said Thursday that officials expect a “Stop the Match” protest, formed after Israel’s offensive in Gaza started in December, to be relatively calm. But there are fears that protests from small, radical groups could turn violent, he said.

The first-round World Group match will be played March 6-8 without fans at the 4,000-seat Baltic Hall. Only teams, officials, some sponsors and journalists will be allowed to enter the hall.

Organizers of a “Stop the Match” campaign expect 8,000 to 12,000 people will demonstrate on March 7 before the Davis Cup doubles match.

“They have said that they want to stop the match at all costs,” Jarborg Eriksson told Swedish news agency TT.

Left-wing groups, human rights organizations and pro-Palestinian groups also plan to demonstrate during the best-of-five series.

The Israeli team is scheduled to arrive Sunday. Sweden’s squad is practicing in Stockholm this weekend before heading to Malmo.

This week in Dubai, Andy Ram of Israel played in a tennis tournament under heavy security and body guards. Ram was granted a visa by the government after Shahar Peer of Israel was denied a visa for the women’s tournament because of security concerns.

Malmo, Sweden’s third largest city, has a left-leaning local government and a large Muslim minority. Its leaders have strongly criticized Israel over the Gaza invasion, and some have called for the Davis Cup match to be dropped altogether.

Malmo officials announced last week that the match played behind closed doors after a vote on the issue in the city’s recreational committee. The committee said it could not guarantee security for the fans.

It will be the second time a Davis Cup match is played in an empty arena in Sweden. In 1975, Sweden played Chile in Bastad without spectators. That was two years after a military coup led by Augusto Pinochet against the elected Chilean government of Salvador Allende.

A seven-time Davis Cup champion, Sweden also played Israel last year in the first round and won 3-2 near Tel Aviv.

I understand and encourage the right of people to protest, but what about the players’ and fans’ rights to enjoy Davis Cup? This whole situation is twisted and sad – and a bad example of political grandstanding.