Germany, Spain Keep Final Hopes Alive at ATP World Team Cup

Tommy Haas played the hero for Germany, defeating monster-serving Swede Joachim Johansson 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 to put the host nation up 1-0. Swede Thomas Johansson then leveled the match with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Nicolas Kiefer.

"After such an opening set you know that your opponent has to change something especially since he is such a dangerous player," said Haas on feeding Johansson a bagel in the first set. "I just tried to concentrate on my game and thank God it worked out."

In the deciding doubles Haas teamed with Alexander Waske to down Jonas Bjorkman and Joachim Johansson 6-4, 6-4 in front of the boisterous home crowd.

In the second match of the day Spain rolled to a 2-1 win over the U.S., but not before some resistance from one of America's best bets on clay, the 30-year-old Vince Spadea.

After dropping the first set 6-3 against Spaniard Tommy Robredo, Spadea sped to a 6-2 win in the second, but was subdued 6-3 in the third. In the second singles the hot-handed Dave Ferrer took care of all-courter Jeff Morrison 6-4, 7-6(7), fighting off three set points in the second.

In the doubles the Bryan brothers, twins Bob and Mike, again salvaged the only bit of pride for the U.S., rolling past the Spanish sacrifice doubles squad of Alex Lopez Moron and Santiago Ventura 6-2, 6-3. The U.S. is 0-4 in singles in Dusseldorf, and 2-0 in doubles through two matches.

On Thursday in Dusseldorf, Argentina and defending champ Chile square off with the winner earning a place in the Saturday final (Gaudio vs. Gonzalez, Canas vs. Massu), and in a dead rubber France takes on the Czech Republic (Grosjean vs. Novak, Llodra vs. Berdych).