The Croats, who'd beaten Australia 3-0 last Thursday, defeated Hungary 2-1 on Sunday to seal their Group D triumph and set up a quarter-final against hosts Italy in Turin.

It consigned Australia, who also beat Hungary 2-1, to a second-place finish in the group, but their record of two rubbers won and four lost was never going to be enough to allow them to progress as one of the best runners-up.

Britain and Kazakhstan also advanced to the last-eight on Sunday by winning their groups.

Britain defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 to win Group C in Innsbruck, Austria, to set up a quarter-final against either Serbia, led by world No.1 Novak Djokovic, or a Germany team missing No.3 Alexander Zverev.

Kazakhstan shut out 2019 runner-ups Canada 3-0 to win Group B in Madrid to earn a quarter-final against a group runner-up.

In Turin, it was debutant Nino Serdarusic who sealed Croatia's progress by beating Fabian Marozsan 6-4 6-4 in the opening singles match.

Then the world's top duo, Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic, clinched victory over Hungary by defeating Marozsan and Peter Nagy 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 in the decisive doubles after surprise packet Zsombor Piros, who'd beaten Aussie John Millman 24 hours earlier, upset former US Open champion Marin Cilic 4-6 7-5 6-4.

Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski beat Jiri Vesely and Tomas Machac 6-4 6-2 in the decisive doubles match to give Britain their win over the Czechs.

"Today was tough. You look at the rankings and a lot of people would think it's going to be straightforward but it's never like that," Britain captain Leon Smith said.

Mikhail Kukushkin and Alexander Bublik each won their singles matches for Kazakhstan to beat a Canadian side without its two top singles players, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov.

Australian Associated Press