US doubles win keeps Davis Cup hopes alive

MADRID: The United States staved off elimination in the Davis Cup semi-finals on Saturday. The doubles team of Mike Bryan and Mardy Fish downed Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, to cut Spain���s lead in the best-of-five tie to 2-1.
Defending champions of this event, the Americans will try to complete an improbable comeback in Sunday���s reverse singles when Andy Roddick faces world No.1 Rafael Nadal and Sam Querrey takes on David Ferrer at the Las Ventas bullfighting arena in Madrid. Argentina hold a 2-0 lead over 2007 runners-up Russia in the other semifinal, which is being played in Buenos Aires.
The tandem of Dmitry Tursunov and Igor Kunitsyn currently are attempting to keep Russia���s hopes of a return trip to the championship alive as they face David Nalbandian and Guillermo Canas in the doubles rubber.
Spain and Argentina capitalised on their home claycourt advantage to move closer to a Davis Cup final showdown after taking control of their semifinals on Friday.
Spain, two-time winners, opened up a 2-0 lead over defending champions USA with world No. 1 Rafael Nadal outclassing debutant Sam Querrey 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 inside Madrid���s intimidating, 22,000-capacity Las Ventas bullring.
David Ferrer, nicknamed 'The Bulldozer', then ground out a 7-6 (5), 2-6, 1-6, 6-4, 8-6 win over Andy Roddick.
In Buenos Aires, David Nalbandian eased past Igor Andreev 7-6 (5), 6-2, 6-4 to give Argentina a 2-0 lead over two-time champions Russia.