A delighted Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden after beating Australia’s Mark Philippoussis in in Adelaide on Sunday. Bjorkman won 7-5, 6-2, 6-2. (Reuters)

Even as Jonas Bjorkman and Thomas Enqvist were winning Sunday’s reverse singles to give Sweden a surprise 4-1 victory over defending champions Australia in the first round of the Davis Cup World Group in Adelaide Sunday, World Group newcomers Belarus were setting up a shocker in Minsk, throwing 2002 champions Russia 3-2 out of the competition.

Bjorkman crushed Australia’s Mark Philippoussis 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 to give the Scandinavians an unbeatable 3-1 lead before Enqvist beat Wayne Arthurs 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 in the dead rubber.

Sweden advanced to a quarter final showdown against the United States in April while condemning Australia to the playoffs in September.

Vladimir Voltchkov beat Mikhail Youzhny 7-5, 6-2, 6-4, in the decisive fifth rubber to give underdogs Belarus a quarter final berth and a tie against Argentina.

Both Voltchkov and 2002 Davis Cup hero Youzhny were surprised replacements for Alexander Shvets and Australian Open runner-up Marat Safin, respectively.

Russia captain Shamil Tarpishchev had shocked everyone by taking out in-form Safin, while his Belarus counterpart Sergei Teterin decided to bring back Voltchkov, whose participation had been in doubt after he injured his ankle in Friday's singles match against Igor Andreev.

Earlier in the day, Max Mirnyi trounced Andreev 6-3 6-4 6-4 to bring the home team level at 2-2.

Belarus will now host Argentina, who took an unbeatable 3-0 lead against Morocco on Saturday in their first-round tie, in the last eight from April 9-11.

In Metz, France too reached the quarters after Arnaud Clement secured a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 win over Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic in the first reverse singles Sunday. Nicolas Escude wrapped up the 4-1 win when he outplayed Ivo Karlovic 7-6, 6-2 in the final dead rubber.

The 2001 champions will travel to Switzerland for their quarter final for a repeat of last year’s tie which the Swiss won 3-2 in Toulouse.

In Amsterdam The Netherlands made it to the quarters after Martin Verkerk battled past Frank Dancevic 6-7, 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 to hand the hosts an unassailable 3-1 lead over Canada in Maastricht.

Dutch number one Sjeng Schalken completed the 4-1 win with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Simon Larose in the final rubber.

In Bucharest the Swiss beat Romania 3-2 in for their prmotion, as Roger Federer beat Andrei Pavel 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 and Victor Hanescu of Romania managed to beat Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3.

In Brno, the Czech Republic put Spain on the ropes after Jiri Novak and Radek Stepanek dismissed Tommy Robredo and Rafael Nadal 6-4, 7-6, 6-3 to take a 2-1 lead.

In Uncasville, Connecticut, brothers Mike and Bob Bryan clinched a quarter final place for the United States, thrashing Austria’s Jurgen Melzer and Julian Knowle 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.

Argentina too wrapped up their tie as Agustin Calleri and Lucas Arnold clinched a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 doubles victory over Morocco’s Mehdi Tahiri and Mounir El Aarej.