2006 Davis Cup Diary - Finals
RUSSIANS GUZZLE VODKA FROM THE CUP, BEAT U.S.. ARGENTINA TO WIN DWIGHT DAVIS'S GRAND PRIZE

Moscow's Olympic Stadium (a vast, shabby building left over from the 1980 Olympics) was brightened by Russia's 3-2 triumphs over the United States and Argentina that earned the homebodies the 2006 Davis Cup. For the U.S., suffering its longest ever Cup-less drought, stretching back to 1995 and a Pete Sampras-inspired victory over Russia in the same arena, the outcome this time may have been decided by one game. It was a game in which Andy Roddick couldn't hold his serve against the world's No. 24, substitute Dmitry Tursunov.

Trailing 2-1 on the third day, the Yanks appeared about to push it to a decisive fifth match --James Blake against Marat Safin -- for a berth in the final. After 3 hours 21 minutes, Roddick, who had charged back to erase a 2 set deficit, broke through Tursunov, for a 6-5 lead in the fifth. Serving for it in the cauldron created by a full house of 11,500 partisans, Andy got as close as 3 points (15-15 and 15-30), saved one break point with a backhand winner, then missed a forehand and it was 6-6 with much more to play.

Twenty games in fact as the tension thickened. Tursunov, almost 24, a California resident who had refined his game there from age 12, escaped a 3-deuce game while serving to 12-11. Roddick dodged 3 match points to 12-12. Finally, in the 32nd game of the 73-game encounter, Roddick was beaten by a backhand passer that gave Russia an insuperable 3-1 lead, 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 17-15. It was the longest Cup fifth set played by either an American or Russian.

Blake won the fifth match, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4), but it was meaningless. Suppose it had been alive, with all that hometown pressure on Safin? The Americans had to settle for two home wins: 4-1 over Romania, 3-1 over Chile.

Russia, loser of the 1994 and 1995 finals within its cavernous playground, to Sweden and the U.S. respectively, now hoped to duplicate its lone Cup, 2002 over France in Paris, for the home folks' delectation.

And so Capt. Shamil Tarpishev's Russians did, despite the singles heroics of David Nalbandian, as Safin won the critical fifth match over Jose Acasuso, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5).

Argentina, a finalist only once before (losing, 3-1, to the John McEnroe-powered U.S. at Cincinnati in 1981), sandwiched 5-0 bagels on home loam over Sweden and Australia around a stunning quarter-final removal of Cup defender Croatia, 3-2, at Zagreb no less.

With 3 solid singles players -- Safin (3-1 in matches that counted), Nikolay Davydenko (3-1), Tursunov (3-0) -- and 3 home dates, the Russians moved into the semis on 5-0 and 4-1 victories over Netherlands at Amsterdam and France in that order.

The clay was red, the day was black for the Americans as their semifinal series began. As shaky as the newly-laid court (frequently requiring repairs), Roddick and Blake salvaged one set. Safin, though No. 72, was too sharp and powerful, brushing No. 6 Andy aside, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5). It appeared that the Yank would push Marat into a fourth set as he led 5-points-to-2 in the breaker. But Safin banged his 16th and 17th aces, and Andy's mistakes took care of the rest.

Raising the lead to 2-0 was No. 24 Mischa Youzhny, the man who had won the 2002 Cup with a fifth comeback over Paul-Henri Mathieu from 2 sets down. Hot, cold, then hot again with a raging backhand, he knocked over No. 9 Blake, 7-5, 1-6, 6-1, 7-5, even though James led 4-1 in the first. The dependables, twins Bob and Mike Bryan, slowed the Russian rush in a quick (1:29) squashing of Tursunov and Youzhny, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Their serves were murder, enabling them to face zero breakers and one deuce. Bob had 6 aces, Mike 3, and they split 12 service winners.

Neither Russian distinguished himself. Tursunov volleyed miserably. Nevertheless, Capt. Tarpishev's hunch that Dmitry rather than Youzhny would be the winning ticket against Roddick paid off. Where was No. 3 Davydenko, supposedly Russia's best?

He had the jitters and didn't feel up to it against the U.S. But he was ready to start the final, even though the home side had juiced the situation by replacing dirt -- the Argentine's meat -- with a quick carpet. And even though Davydenko was 0-5 against Juan Ignacio Chela, he gave his side a 1-0 lead, 6-1, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

However, No. 8 David Nalbandian, at home anywhere -- 5-1 for the campaign -- disregarded Safin's 21 aces to whip him, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Safin and Tursunov had not a problem against Augustin Calleri and Nalbandian, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. But Nalbandian was back the next day to make Davydenko uneasy again, 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.

Tarpishev thought about his handy man, Tursunov -- but stuck with Safin (improved to No. 26) for a third day. Marat, who had done 3 days duty against the French in 2002, was equal to it again with 17 aces to stop sub Acasuso in 4. Immediately he was swarmed in on-court hugs from his teammates and ex-Russian president Boris Yeltsin, a tennis degenerate. Safin's was the 19th Cup decider in the fifth match. Only Britain's Fred Perry (1933, 36) did it twice.

The what-ifs for U.S. Capt. Patrick McEnroe's guys run like this. What if Roddick had served out Tursunov in the fifth set and Blake had beaten Safin in a meaningful 3-of-5 set match. That would have meant a final round appearance -- howeber, in the dirt-kicking Argentines' clay-paved den at Buenos Aires. A very iffy proposition considering American allergy to that stuff.

But on Californian courts that they relished -- hard and grass -- Roddick and Blake took turns rescuing one another in the season's first two rounds.

First up was Romania, beaten on the green asphalt of La Jolla's handsome Beach & Tennis Club. Daily crowds of 5209 filled a pleasant sun-blessed ampitheatre. But the beginning was unpleasant for the U.S because of canny 32-year-old Andre Pavel, deceptively ranked No. 82, but with 13 years of Cup experience. Hanging tough for 3:43, though falling 2 sets to the rear, Pavel revived. He survived a match point on Roddick's serve -- a drop shot-lob combo ending a 17 stroke rally to 7-7 in the third set tie-breaker. Then Pavel overtook No. 3 Roddick with a clever mixture of shotmaking, 6-7 (2-7), 2-6, 7-6 (10-8), 6-2, 6-4.

The U.S. needed help and No. 20 Blake provided it with a slick 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, decision over No. 41 Vic Hanescu. The rest was routine, Romania's chances fading fast as Hanescu tore rib cage ligaments early in the doubles. The Bryans had a half hour on stage, 6-2, before their foes (Hanescu and Horia Tecau) had to quit.

Roddick, with 17 aces, clinched quickly, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 over sub Razvan Sabau, No. 112. With friendly grass under foot, the sun-toasted Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage was happily uproarious with hundreds of cheering Chileans amid the daily gatherings of 4033. Blake, now No. 8, seemed to emulate Roddick of the previous round, squandering a 2 set lead and a 4-1 edge in the fifth to the bruising banger Fernando Gonzalez, No. 18. Gonzalez finished strongly to give Chile a 1-0 lead, 6-7 (5-7), 0-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 10-8, in 4:40. Blake had served to win at 5-4 in the third, and was 2 points away at 30-0, 30-15, 30-all and deuce -- but couldn't hold off the big hitter who had 32 forehand winners and 14 aces, 4 in the concluding game.

Roddick meant relief for his side as he took out both Chileans with withering serving and forehands: Olympic champ, No. 37, Nico Massu, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5) in 2:42 to even matters, and Gonzalez, the clincher, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2. It was Andy's seventh clinching victory since joining the team in 2001. He aced Massu 15 times, Gonzalez 14.

The Bryans had provided a 2-1 lead, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, over Paul Capdeville and Adrian Garcia, a sacrificial lineup. Chilean Capt. Hans Gildemeister chose to rest his best, Massu and Gonzalez, for a third day assault, a strategy that failed.

As always strange things happen in Davis Cup. Safin was laboring through a so-so season until the semis. Defender Croatia seemed capable of going all the way again with the one-two punch of Ivan Ljubicic and Mario Ancic. But a back injury kept Mario out of the quarter-final against Argentina. While Ljubicic won his usual pair (including 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, over Nalbandian), the cupboard was otherwise bare. Curiously, huge-serving huge Ivo Karlovic, who might well have made the difference on the swift indoor rug at Zagreb, declined to play.

The Bryans, 3-0 (9-1 career), were Capt. McEnroe's most reliable assets as Roddick and Blake posted 3-3 singles marks. So 11 barren years have passed since Americans last guzzled champagne from the Cup. That surpasseses the dry run between the Cups of 1902 and 1913, although there was no tournament in 1910.

What next in the Byzantine chase for the 107-year-old punchbowl? Not since l998 (Sweden over Italy) has a country successfully defended the Cup. The U.S. continues its pursuit against the Czech Republic Feb.9 -- 11in Ostrava, on indoor clay.

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