Russians Take Lead in Moscow
Marat Safin and Mikhail Youzhny have given Russia a 2-1 lead in their first round World Group tie against visiting Chile, defeating Fernando Gonzalez and Adrian Garcia 63 64 63 in Saturday’s doubles rubber in Moscow.
The Russian pair parlayed four service breaks, including two in the third and final set, to gain an easy victory in one hour, 31 minutes.
Russian captain Shamil Tarpischev originally named Igor Andreev and Nikolay Davydenko to play doubles when the draw was announced Thursday, but substituted Safin and Youzhny Saturday morning and saw his hunch pay off.
“We knew we’d be playing after yesterday’s matches,” said Safin. “He [Tarpischev] asked us if we could play and we both said, ‘sure.’ ” Safin and Youzhny upped their unblemished record in Davis Cup by BNP Paribas doubles play to 3-0 with the win.
Gonzalez and Garcia had also played together only twice previously, winning both times, but were pressed into action by virtue of the absence of Chile’s Nicolas Massu, who teamed with Gonzalez to win the gold medal at the Athens Olympics last summer. Massu was held out of the tie due to a toe injury on his right foot.
Given that success in doubles is to a large degree determined by getting in first serves in, seizing the net, and thus being able to control the point, the Chilean pair did not help their cause by converting only 41% of their first serves. Safin and Youzhny placed 77% of their initial offerings in-court, and were never seriously threatened.
“Marat served unbelievably today,” said Gonzalez, who showed some signs of wear coming off a four-set victory in Friday’s opening singles rubber. He had his right shoulder worked on by a courtside trainer after the second set. “It’s nothing serious,” said Gonzalez. “It’s just a little tired and tight because I used a lot of power serving yesterday (when he served 26 aces in his win over Youzhny). But I’ll be fine for tomorrow.”<br>
It will be up to Gonzalez, the bronze-medallist in singles in Athens, to stave off elimination for Chile in tomorrow’s first singles match, when he’ll take on world No. 4 Safin. If Gonzalez manages to get by the formidable Russian, whose record in Davis Cup by BNP Paribas singles play (13-11) somewhat lags his performance on the men’s tour, then Garcia will have a chance to play the hero against his scheduled opponent, Youzhny.
The Chileans, trailing 1-2, face a formidable uphill climb in frosty Moscow if they are to advance to a quarterfinal match-up with the winner of the France-Sweden tie in Strasbourg.
“Let’s put it this way,” said Chilean captain Sergio Elias. “We’ll only have one or two shots tomorrow to make it. The key will be for us to hold serve and to make the most of those opportunities.”<br>
MATCH FACTS
62/81 1st serve(77%)
4 aces
50/62 points won on 1st serve
19/19 2nd serve (100%)
11/19 points won on 2nd serve
29/78 recieving points won
4/11 break points converted
90 total points won
For some pics
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