The US joined Russia, Argentina and Spain in the semi-finals of the Davis Cup on Sunday after Andy Roddick beat France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 for a 3-1 winning lead. The cup holders thanked their world Roddick for their semi-final berth after his victory over Mathieu at Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Mathieu had his serve broken five times and did not even manage to get a break point, such was the quality of Roddick’s serve on the fast surface.
In the Sept. 19 to 21 semi-final, the US will travel to Spain who beat Germany 4-1 in Bremen.
PHOTO: AFP
Spain had already gone through thanks to victories by Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer in Friday’s singles and by Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco in Saturday’s doubles.
Spanish captain Emilio Sanchez had said before the US’ victory: “We’d like to take on USA again, partly because we’ll be at home for that one. We gave it everything we had against them last year and it didn’t quite come off. We’ll be eager to have another go at them.”
The Russians and Argentinians just managed to avoid having to play a fifth and final, decisive rubber against the Czechs and Swedes.
In Moscow, Nikolay Davydenko was fielded by captain Shamil Tarpischev, who had rested him on Friday, and he won 6-3, 2-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 1-2 thanks to the retirement of Tomas Berdych, who injured a leg in the fifth set.
The Czech No. 1 Berdych had not had a great weekend, having also led by two sets against Marat Safin in Friday’s singles’ tie before losing.
Argentina’s David Nalbandian won the fourth rubber against Robin Soderling, a specialist of fast surfaces 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 6-4, 9-7 but not before having to struggle back from two sets to one down.
Argentina, the only major nation never to have won the silver salad bowl trophy, will meet Russia in Buenos Aires from Sept. 19 to 21 in a rematch of the 2006 final won by the Russians.
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