After the Spanish team failed to win in the 3rd rubber set, the Argentine's team suffered the same fate in Buenos Aires too.
The US dubs Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan as well as Russia's Igor Kunitsyn and Dmitry Tursunov crawled back in to the match and defeated Spaniards Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez, and Argentines David Nalbandian and Guillermo Canas respectively. Both matches ended in 5 freaking sets!
So no Davis Cup final as present for birthday boy Lopez who celebrates his 27th birthday yesterday.
Dmitry Tursunov and Igor Kunitsyn made the Argentina's pair cry.Argentina's captain Alberto Mancini had hoped to seal the tie yesterday after leading 2-0 on Friday. He used his best player, world No. 7 Nalbandian, in the doubles after he had won easily on the first day of the Davis Cup semifinal.
“We were on our way to victory, but we couldn’t pull through,” Mancini said.But after a doubles match that lasted 3 hours, 37 minutes, Nalbandian might have to summon his reserves in the first reverse singles on Sunday. He’s scheduled to play the top Russian, sixth-ranked Nikolay Davydenko.
In the second reverse singles, Juan Martin del Potro is expected to meet Igor Andreev. Argentina is trying to avenge its loss to Russia in the 2006 finals.
The winner of the semifinal will face either Spain or defending champion United States. Spain leads their semifinal 2-1.
No chest bump, but maybe backside bump for Mike Bryan and Mardy Fish.US dubs Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan already did their part to keep the US' hopes of defending their Davis Cup title alive against Spain.
Now it’s Andy Roddick’s turn.
With Spain leading 2-1 and looking to reach its sixth final, the pressure falls squarely on Roddick and his decisive match against Nadal in the first reverse singles rubber on Sunday.
“I’m not worried. (Andy) knows what he has to do, he’s been in this position many times before,” U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe said.The U.S. has won the Davis Cup 32 times, but has only rallied back from a 1-2 deficit five times.
A Roddick victory would make fifth-ranked David Ferrer’s match against Sam Querrey the decisive one.
For the other World Group playoffs results, go to the Davis Cup official website.
(Via Yahoo! Sports)
