Davis Cup World Group Results: Spain down 0-2; Agassi Loses
Posted on March 5, 2005Spain at Slovak Republic (Slovaks lead 2-0)
Surface: Hard indoors
Karol Beck (SVK) d. Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-4, 7-5, 6-3
Dominik Hrbaty (SVK) d. Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-3
Beck comes through with a straight-set shocker over F-Lo, and Spain pays for not going with Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal in singles when The Dominator takes out Verdasco. It's a long road back for Spain if Nadal and Al Costa can win the doubles over The Dominator and virtual unknown Michal Mertinak on Saturday.
Netherlands at Switzerland (Dutch lead 2-0)
Surface: Hard indoors
Sjeng Schalken (NED) d. Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
Peter Wessels (NED) d. Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 7-6(12), 6-7(4), 7-6(7), 6-4
Schalken repels a valiant five-set effort by the aggressive "Chud," then Pete "Nuclear" Wessels serves and volleys the Dutch to a 2-0 lead over the Federer-abandoned Swiss. The shaky doubles team of Yves Allegro and George "I Beat Sampras at Wimbledon" Bastl will try and keep the Swiss in it against "Everybody Loves" Raemon Sluiter and Wessels.
Austria at Australia (Australia leads 2-0)
Surface: Grass
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) d. Alexander Peya (AUT) 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
Wayne Arthurs (AUS) d. Jurgen Melzer (AUT) 7-6(5), 6-2, 6-4
"I was feeling pretty dodgy the first day I arrived," Arthurs said. "I got a good nights sleep Tuesday and Wednesday and got into the swing very quickly. To come out here with probably only two hours practice on this grasscourt, it makes it one of my most pleasing wins." Julian Knowle and Peya will try and keep Austria in it on Saturday against Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge.
Czech Republic at Argentina (Gauchos lead 2-0)
Surface: Clay outdoors
David Nalbandian (ARG) d. Jiri Novak (CZE) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
Guillermo Coria (ARG) d. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
The Top 10 team of Nalbandian and Coria subdue the Czechs on the home red clay, with Nalbandian and Guillermo Canas looking to clinch Saturday against Czechs Jan Hernych and Tomas Zib in the doubles.
Chile at Russia (tied 1-1)
Surface: Carpet indoors
Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) d. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(4)
Marat Safin (RUS) d. Adrian Garcia (CHI) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4)
Russian captain Shamil Tarpischev makes an error playing the back-from-injury Youzhny over Nikolay Davydenko, but Safin saves the day to tie it 1-1. The leader will be determined Saturday when Russia's Igor Andreev and Davydenko face Garcia and Gonzalez.
Sweden at France (tied 1-1)
Surface: Clay indoors
Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) d. Joachim Johansson (SWE) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
Thomas Johansson (SWE) vs. Sebastien Grosjean (FRA) 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(1)
Swede captain Mats Wilander makes a mistake going with the injured J.Johansson, but T.Johansson levels it at 1-1 with a win over the out-of-shape and thigh-injured Grosjean. The Saturday doubles will see Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra for France against Simon Aspelin and Jonas Bjorkman for the Swedes.
Belarus at Romania (tied 1-1)
Surface: Clay indoors
Max Mirnyi (BLR) d. Victor Hanescu (ROM) 7-6(6), 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
Andrei Pavel (ROM) d. Vladimir Voltchkov (BLR) 6-4, 7-6(2), 7-6(2)
The Beast brings timely net approaches to defeat Hanescu, but the Romanian-rock Pavel levels it at 1-1, defeating Voltchkov in straights. Scheduled for Saturday in the doubles are Pavel and Gabriel Trifu for Romania versus The Beast and 17-year-old neophyte Aliaksandr Bury.
Croatia at USA (tied 1-1)
Surface: Hard outdoors
Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) d. Andre Agassi (USA) 6-3, 7-6(0), 6-3
Andy Roddick (USA) d. Mario Ancic (CRO) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4
Ljubicic rolls a slow, footwork-lacking rattled-looking Agassi in windy conditions, but Roddick saves the day after a first-set hiccup against Baby Goran. The Bryan brothers will be the favorites Saturday against Ljubicic-Ancic.
Surface: Hard indoors
Karol Beck (SVK) d. Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-4, 7-5, 6-3
Dominik Hrbaty (SVK) d. Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-3
Beck comes through with a straight-set shocker over F-Lo, and Spain pays for not going with Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal in singles when The Dominator takes out Verdasco. It's a long road back for Spain if Nadal and Al Costa can win the doubles over The Dominator and virtual unknown Michal Mertinak on Saturday.
Netherlands at Switzerland (Dutch lead 2-0)
Surface: Hard indoors
Sjeng Schalken (NED) d. Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
Peter Wessels (NED) d. Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 7-6(12), 6-7(4), 7-6(7), 6-4
Schalken repels a valiant five-set effort by the aggressive "Chud," then Pete "Nuclear" Wessels serves and volleys the Dutch to a 2-0 lead over the Federer-abandoned Swiss. The shaky doubles team of Yves Allegro and George "I Beat Sampras at Wimbledon" Bastl will try and keep the Swiss in it against "Everybody Loves" Raemon Sluiter and Wessels.
Austria at Australia (Australia leads 2-0)
Surface: Grass
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) d. Alexander Peya (AUT) 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
Wayne Arthurs (AUS) d. Jurgen Melzer (AUT) 7-6(5), 6-2, 6-4
"I was feeling pretty dodgy the first day I arrived," Arthurs said. "I got a good nights sleep Tuesday and Wednesday and got into the swing very quickly. To come out here with probably only two hours practice on this grasscourt, it makes it one of my most pleasing wins." Julian Knowle and Peya will try and keep Austria in it on Saturday against Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge.
Czech Republic at Argentina (Gauchos lead 2-0)
Surface: Clay outdoors
David Nalbandian (ARG) d. Jiri Novak (CZE) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4
Guillermo Coria (ARG) d. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3
The Top 10 team of Nalbandian and Coria subdue the Czechs on the home red clay, with Nalbandian and Guillermo Canas looking to clinch Saturday against Czechs Jan Hernych and Tomas Zib in the doubles.
Chile at Russia (tied 1-1)
Surface: Carpet indoors
Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) d. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(4)
Marat Safin (RUS) d. Adrian Garcia (CHI) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4)
Russian captain Shamil Tarpischev makes an error playing the back-from-injury Youzhny over Nikolay Davydenko, but Safin saves the day to tie it 1-1. The leader will be determined Saturday when Russia's Igor Andreev and Davydenko face Garcia and Gonzalez.
Sweden at France (tied 1-1)
Surface: Clay indoors
Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) d. Joachim Johansson (SWE) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
Thomas Johansson (SWE) vs. Sebastien Grosjean (FRA) 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(1)
Swede captain Mats Wilander makes a mistake going with the injured J.Johansson, but T.Johansson levels it at 1-1 with a win over the out-of-shape and thigh-injured Grosjean. The Saturday doubles will see Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra for France against Simon Aspelin and Jonas Bjorkman for the Swedes.
Belarus at Romania (tied 1-1)
Surface: Clay indoors
Max Mirnyi (BLR) d. Victor Hanescu (ROM) 7-6(6), 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
Andrei Pavel (ROM) d. Vladimir Voltchkov (BLR) 6-4, 7-6(2), 7-6(2)
The Beast brings timely net approaches to defeat Hanescu, but the Romanian-rock Pavel levels it at 1-1, defeating Voltchkov in straights. Scheduled for Saturday in the doubles are Pavel and Gabriel Trifu for Romania versus The Beast and 17-year-old neophyte Aliaksandr Bury.
Croatia at USA (tied 1-1)
Surface: Hard outdoors
Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) d. Andre Agassi (USA) 6-3, 7-6(0), 6-3
Andy Roddick (USA) d. Mario Ancic (CRO) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4
Ljubicic rolls a slow, footwork-lacking rattled-looking Agassi in windy conditions, but Roddick saves the day after a first-set hiccup against Baby Goran. The Bryan brothers will be the favorites Saturday against Ljubicic-Ancic.