U.S. Clinches, Spain Leads 2-1 in Davis Cup Semifinals

"It was huge going in there 2-0 and knowing we can go in there and kind of put the hammer down," Bob Bryan said. "It's huge motivation for us."

In contrast to the 1990s when the U.S. had on-again, off-again support from No. 1s Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, current coach Patrick McEnroe nurtured rabid support from Andy Roddick, who since making his Davis Cup debut rose to No. 1, and from the Bryan brothers who also rose to the No. 1 spot. Currently both Roddick and the twins reside at No. 2 on the ATP Rankings in singles and doubles.

The Americans will now face the winner of the weekend's other semifinal between Spain and France. If the Spanish win, they host the finals, but the Americans will host if France wins. The Americans last made the finals in 1997 and last won in 1995 behind a stellar one-man effort by Pete Sampras in Russia on red clay.

In the semifinal at Spain, Juan Carlos Ferrero was in no mood to fool around in the resumption of his singles match from Friday, winning three straight games to finish Fabrice "The Magician" Santoro 6-3, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 to even the tie at 1-1. In the first match on Friday, France's Paul-Henri Mathieu had stunned Carlos Moya in five sets to put France on top.

In the doubles Saturday, Spain's Tommy "The R." Robredo and Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal put Spain up 2-1 in the tie with a 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win over Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement.

The reverse singles on Sunday will be Ferrero against Mathieu, and Moya against Santoro (likely to be changed with Santoro suffering a wrist problem).