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PORTLAND - The United States completed a 4-1 victory over Russia in the Davis Cup tennis final here today, despite feeling a little bleary-eyed after their overnight celebrations.
Igor Andreev earned Russia a consolation point by crushing doubles specialist Bob Bryan 6-3 7-6 in the first reverse singles match before American No 2 James Blake beat Dmitry Tursunov 1-6 6-3 7-5 in the final rubber.
The US had clinched the team title by establishing an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five tie when the Bryan brothers won Sunday's doubles at Memorial Coliseum.
World number 33 Andreev, using his powerful forehand with devastating effect, broke Bryan in the third and ninth games to claim the first set in 28 minutes.
The second set went with serve until the 24-year-old Russian sealed victory by taking the tiebreak 7-4, gaining matchpoint off a backhand error by Bryan before ending a protracted rally with a whipped forehand winner.
"Dead rubbers are probably the worst thing in sports, period," Bryan told a news conference after losing his second Davis Cup singles match of the year.
"I don't play any singles all year and I don't practise it so when I jump out there I'm just kind of winging it. Now that I'm done with this singles match, I'll be able to enjoy it (Davis Cup victory)."
Bryan and his US teammates spent much of Sunday night celebrating the first US Davis Cup title in 12 years.
"We had a blast," the 29-year-old said.
"We spent a couple of hours here just dumping champagne all over each other. Then we went out to a local spot and danced, did everything. We had a long, drawn-out celebration."
Andreev and Bryan were brought in as late changes for world number 19 Mikhail Youzhny and sixth-ranked Andy Roddick in the line-up for the fourth match.
Tursunov breezed through his first set against Blake before the American fought back to claim the second.
A tight third set turned in the 11th game when Blake broke Tursunov after earning three game points with a delightful top-spin lob to the back of the court. He then served out the match to love in the 12th.
The US sealed a record 32nd Davis Cup title when Bob and Mike Bryan swept aside Russians Nikolay Davydenko and Andreev 7-6 6-4 6-2 on Saturday.
The US had not won the Davis Cup since 1995 when Pete Sampras led the team to victory over Russia on clay in Moscow.
With the 2007 title decided, Monday's singles matches were shortened to the best-of-three sets.
- REUTERS
