Tennis: Rafter win books Davis Cup semi spot

BOSTON - Playing in searing heat and amid hot controversy, Pat Rafter contested and won yet another compelling five-set match yesterday to seal Australia's first victory in a Davis Cup tie in the United States for 26 years.

His stirring battle with American Todd Martin capped a tie featuring tremendous on-court contests from both sides and questionable off-court tactics from the US team.

Rafter's 4-6 5-7 6-3 6-2 6-4 victory gave the Australians an unassailable 3-1 lead in the quarter-final played at the historic Longwood Cricket Club to celebrate the 100th year of the Davis Cup.

Teenager Lleyton Hewitt mopped up for the Australians, winning the final dead rubber over Alex O'Brien 7-5 6-4 to close out a 4-1 win which qualifies Australia for a semifinal contest against Russia to be played in Australia from September 24-26.

The Australians ripped their shirts off in celebration after Rafter had conquered Martin, whom US captain Tom Gullikson had wanted to replace with Pete Sampras yesterday.

Rafter didn't know until less than 20 minutes before the contest who his opponent would be as the US tried to get a neutral doctor to rule Martin out with heat exhaustion, after he had warmed up for the match yesterday morning.

The move to replace him with Sampras - which failed when the tournament doctor Rich Paul found Martin fit to play - angered the Australian camp and frustrated Rafter.

Martin looked sick but played like a man inspired as he went for winner after winner early in the match.

Australian captain John Newcombe said the US action - legitimate or otherwise - was hard on Rafter.

Newcombe, who teamed with Rod Laver in 1973 to produce Australia's last Davis Cup tie victory in the US, said the semifinal against Russia would probably be played on grass "either in Brisbane, Sydney or Perth".

Russia reached the semifinal by beating Slovakia 3-2, after blowing a 2-0 lead.

Russia's No 2 Marat Safin defeated Dominik Hrbaty 6-3 4-6 7-5 6-7 6-4 in a 31/2 hour marathon to give the hosts a hard-earned 3-2 win over the Slovaks.

Earlier, Slovakia's Karol Kucera crushed former world No 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-1 6-3 6-4 to square the match at 2-2.

The Russians had taken a 2-0 lead on Friday when Safin beat Kucera comfortably and Kafelnikov ground out a five-set win over Hrbaty.

The Slovak pairing took the doubles to keep the match alive going into the last day and Kucera's victory brought it right down to the wire.

Belgium moved to within one step of their first Davis Cup final since 1904 when they beat Switzerland to set up a September semifinal with neighbours France.

Teenager Xavier Malisse was the architect of their triumph, following Friday's three-set victory over Lorenzo Manta by beating Roger Federer 4-6 6-3 7-5 7-6 to secure a 3-1 lead in Brussels.

Belgium won 3-2 to reach their first semifinal since the world group was introduced in 1981. Belgium played in the final in their first appearance in the competition in 1904 when they lost 5-0 to Britain at Wimbledon.

The French booked their place in the last four with a gutsy 3-2 victory over the flamboyant Brazilian team. They will host Belgium from September 24 to 26.

Cedric Pioline crushed world No 5 Gustavo Kuerten 6-3 6-4 6-4 in Pau to give France victory over Brazil.

Experienced Cup campaigner Pioline, who helped France win the trophy in 1996, did not drop a set in the tie, having beaten Fernando Meligeni 6-3 6-3 6-3 in his first singles on Friday.

The French went 2-1 up when their doubles pairing of Fabrice Santoro and Olivier Delaitre beat Kuerten and Jaime Oncins in straights sets on Saturday and Pioline gave them an unbeatable 3-1 lead over a tiring Kuerten. - NZPA