Argentina Ends Chilean Dream at ATP World Team Cup

Posted on May 20, 2005

Argentina ended Chile's hopes of defending the ATP World Team Cup in Dusseldorf Thursday with a 3-0 sweep in singles and doubles, gaining the final against either the host Germany or Spain.

Defending Roland Garros champ Gaston Gaudio pasted Chile's Fernando Gonzalez in straight sets to start things off, then Guillermo Canas earned a tough three-set win over Nicolas Massu. In the doubles, Argentines Juan Ignacio Chela and Guillermo Coria defeated Chilean sacrifices Hermes Garmonal and Adrian Garcia in straight sets, bringing out the broom for the sweep.

"I've had an unbelievable week, and it's been great preparation for Paris," the momentum-gaining Gaudio told BBC Sport. "Now we just have to win to finish a great week and I would love to play Germany in the final."

Last year Chile became the first country to win back-to-back World Team Cup titles since the John McEnroe-led U.S. teams in 1985-84.

In the second match on the day, France defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 with Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean straight-setting Jiri Novak, Czech Tomas Berdych stomping Michael Llodra (giving up only three games), and in the decider Arnaud Clement and Llodra bread-sticking Berdych and Novak in the doubles.

On Friday Germany and Spain will determine who reaches the final (Haas vs. Robredo, Mayer vs. Ferrer) against Argentina, and in the loser sideshow the U.S. faces off against Sweden (Spadea vs. J.Johansson, Morrison vs. T.Johansson).