POREC: In one of the longest matches in tennis history, Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic survived a record 78 aces to beat Ivo Karlovic of Croatia in a Davis Cup semifinal.

The opening singles lasted almost six hours and Stepanek won 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-7 (2), 16-14. The 82 games equaled the Davis Cup record since tiebreakers were introduced in 1989.

Karlovic wasted four match points in the final set. Stepanek won when the 6-foot-10 Croat sent a smash wide.

Croatia's Marin Cilic plays Tomas Berdych in the second singles Friday. The winner of the best-of-five series will face Spain or Israel in the final.

The longest known Davis Cup match was 6 hours, 22 minutes between John McEnroe and Mats Wilander in 1982.