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Belgian wins leave Aussies in trouble

Australia and the US, with 59 Davis Cup triumphs between them, were battling to keep their title hopes for this year on track on Friday.

Australia, proud winners on 28 occasions, were in the most precarious position, slumping to a 2-0 deficit against Belgium, while the US was 1-1 with the Czech Republic.

Defending champions Russia boasted the most impressive display on the opening day of the World Group first round by taking a 2-0 lead against Chile on the South Americans' home turf.

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt slumped to a 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat to Kristof Vliegen in Liege as Australia suffered a nightmare start.

Hewitt last played on clay in September when Australia were defeated 5-0 by Argentina.

"I haven't played a whole heap of matches and this was my first on clay since September. It was tough, a story of missed opportunities. If I'd taken them I would have won," Hewitt said.

Vliegen emerged victorious after a gruelling four hour, 18-minute battle.

Pint-sized Olivier Rochus then saw off Chris Guccione 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 to give Belgium a 2-0 lead and one foot in the quarter-finals.

In Ostrava, Andy Roddick gave the US a 1-0 lead over the Czech Republic beating unheralded Ivo Minar, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

But then Tomas Berdych saw off James Blake 6-1, 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 to leave the tie finely-balanced.

The US, Davis Cup champions 31 times, have been without as title since 1995, their longest drought in the tournament's history.

"At one stage it was looking a bit dicey," said world number four Roddick after his win over the world number 160 on the slow, red clay surface which usually takes the bite out of his big serve.

At La Serena in Chile, Marat Safin, who won the crucial final rubber against Argentina in December to give Russia the title, put in an immaculate display to see off Olympic champion Nicolas Massu 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

The Russians then went 2-0 ahead when Igor Andreev, a late replacment for the injured Dmitry Tursunov beat Australian Open runner-up Fernando Gonzalez 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.

Massu had never previously lost a Davis Cup singles rubber in Chile but Safin was in great form, converting six of seven break point opportunities and producing just ten unforced errors.

"I expected more from Massu," admitted Safin.

"We both had our opportunities. I think it all came down to who would take them first. I did it, his confidence lowered and the game was much easier from that moment on," he said.

In Geneva, Spain were 1-1 with Switzerland.

Marco Chiudinelli defeated Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2) before David Ferrer leveled the tie defeating Stephane Bohli 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

Guillermo Canas helped give Argentina a 2-0 lead over Austria in Linz.

Canas, playing his first Davis Cup tie for two years after successfully having a two-year doping ban cut to 15 months last year, saw off Jurgen Melzer 7-6 (8/6), 6-2, 6-4.

Jose Acasuso had earlier seen off Stefan Koubek 7-6 (8/6), 6-1, 6-4 as Argentina, last year's runners-up, took a firm grip.

Sebastien Grosjean battled back from two sets down to beat Andrei Pavel 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 and give France a 2-0 lead against Romania in Clermont-Ferrand.

Richard Gasquet had given the hosts the first point with a 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Victor Hanescu.

Croatia, the 2005 champions, were 1-1 with Germany in Krefeld.

In Minsk, Sweden swept to a 2-0 lead over Belarus.
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