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Spain in semifinals

BREMEN: Spain advanced to the semifinals of the Davis Cup after saving two matchpoints to win a five-set doubles match on Saturday and establish an unassailable 3-0 lead over Germany.

Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco beat Philipp Kohlschreiber and Philipp Petzschner 6-7 (3), 7-6(1), 6-4, 2-6, 12-10 in 4 hours, 45 minutes.

The Spaniards saved matchpoints at 6-6 and 8-8 in the final set, and clinched the best-of-five series when Kohlschreiber hit the ball long in front of 5,000 home fans.

Spain led 2-0 as second-ranked Rafael Nadal and No. 5 David Ferrer each won Friday’s singles. Both players may now skip Sunday’s meaningless reverse singles.

Kohlschreiber had been taken to a hospital for a checkup late on Friday after complaining of not feeling well following his four-set loss to Ferrer.

Spain, the 2000 and 2004 champion, now faces either the United States or France in September’s semifinals.

Davydenko delivers

Meanwhile in Moscow, World No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko returned to action on Saturday when he teamed up with Igor Andreev to give Russia a 2-1 lead in the quarterfinal tie against the Czech Republic.

Russian captain Shamil Tarpishchev had left out Davydenko from Friday’s singles after he flew in late to Moscow following his triumph in Miami last weekend.

Feeling fresh after enjoying a rest day, Davydenko joined forces with Andreev and the duo outfought the Czech team of Pavel Vizner and Radek Stepanek 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 to give the host the psychological edge ahead of Sunday’s reverse singles. The winner of the tie will face either Argentina or Sweden in the semifinals in September.

Argentina goes ahead

At Buenos Aires, David Nalbandian and Guillermo Canas beat Jonas Bjorkman and Robert Lindstedt 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 to give host Argentina a 2-1 lead over Sweden on Saturday.

“This was a crucial point. Without this doubles victory, things would have gotten very complicated,” Argentina team captain Alberto Mancini said.

“Our players entered the court playing very solidly, very confidently.”

USA up 2-0

James Blake’s perseverance and Andy Roddick’s power gave the host USA a commanding 2-0 lead over France in Winston-Salem on Friday.

Blake overcame his history of fifth-set woes, fighting off two match points to beat Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 and Roddick ripped 30 aces on the fast hard-court in a 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6 (5) win over Michael Llodra in the opener.

“It’s a little more dramatic than I wanted it to be, but you’re going to have to win some of these, too,” Blake said. The results:

At Moscow: Russia 2-Czech Republic 1 (Nikolay Davydenko & Igor Andreev bt Radek Stepanek & Pavel Vizner 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4).

At Bremen: Spain 3-Germany 0 (Philipp Kohlschreiber & Philipp Petzschner lost to Feliciano Lopez & Fernando Verdasco 7-6(3), 6-7(1), 4-6, 6-2, 10-12; Kohlschreiber lost to David Ferrer 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2).

At Buenos Aires: Argentina 2-Sweden 1 (David Nalbandian & Guillermo Canas bt Jonas Bjorkman & Robert Lindstedt 7-5, 6-4, 6-4; Jose Acasuso lost to Robin Soderling 6-0, 6-4, 6-1).

At Winston-Salem: USA 2-France 0 (Andy Roddick bt Michael Llodra 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6 (5); James Blake bt Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5). — Agencies

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