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LONDON - Mikhail Youzhny proved Russia's hero on the first day of their Davis Cup quarterfinal today, battling to win a tough tennis match against Frenchman Richard Gasquet which allowed them to end the day at 1-1.
The defending champions' day had got off to a shaky start when Paul-Henri Mathieu, ranked 56th in the world, upset world No 4 Nikolay Davydenko 2-6 6-2 6-1 7-5 to put France 1-0 ahead.
Former champions Sweden and Germany were both sitting more comfortably at the end of day one after going 2-0 up against Argentina and Belgium respectively while in the only quarterfinal being played outside Europe, the US stretched into a 2-0 lead over Spain.
World No 9 James Blake eased to a comfortable 6-4 6-3 6-4 win over sixth-ranked Tommy Robredo to hand the US the early lead before world No 3 Andy Roddick charged from 5-2 down in the first set to overwhelm Fernando Verdasco 7-6 6-1 6-4.
In Moscow's Luzhniki Arena, Youzhny and Gasquet were evenly matched on paper, at 17th and 15th respectively in the world rankings, and their closely fought match lasted four hours 48 minutes before the Russian triumphed 6-2 6-3 6-7 5-7 8-6.
Youzhny went two sets up but then looked to be in trouble when he needed treatment on his left thigh and shin after slipping.
With both players suffering from cramp, the rubber went into a fifth set where Gasquet's serve began to falter.
Sweden set out for revenge after a 5-0 whitewash by Argentina in the first round last year and acquitted themselves faultlessly on the first day, winning both opening singles.
Thomas Johansson, looking like the Australian Open champion he once was, ignored his current world ranking of 73rd to upset Argentina's top player, David Nalbandian, 6-7 7-6 6-2 7-6 in what he proudly acclaimed as "probably the best Davis Cup match I've ever played".
The fast indoor carpet surface at the Gothenburg Convention Centre was no help to the Argentines who found themselves 2-0 down when Swedish No 1 Robin Soderling beat the 18-year-old Juan-Martin Del Potro, playing only his second Davis Cup match, 7-6 7-6 6-4.
Nalbandian and Sebastian Prieto must now win Saturday's doubles against Jonas Bjorkman and Robert Lindstedt if Argentina are to stay in the tie.
Germany have whitewashed Belgium 5-0 in their last four meetings and Tommy Haas and Philipp Kohlschreiber set the visitors on the path to continuing that trend in Ostend.
Haas came from behind to defeat Kristof Vliegen 6-7 7-5 6-4 6-2 in the opening rubber before Davis Cup newcomer Kohlschreiber easily beat Olivier Rochus 6-3 7-5 7-6.
Rochus' older brother Christophe and doubles partner Dick Norman now have the task of keeping the home side in the tie when they play Michael Kohlmann and Alexander Waske tomorrow.
- REUTERS
