Davis Cup World Group -- Semifinal Roundup

"We have been in this situation before, me and [Ljubicic] and have played a lot of five sets and we didn't panic," Ancic said. "They served unbelievable and it was really hard to play doubles on this surface but we kept calm and went for our chance."

The raucous Croatian crowd, which became absolutely unruly at times, may have to play at integral part Sunday when it remains to be seen how much energy Ljubicic has to finish things off against Nikolay Davydenko, or if it comes to it, Ancic against Mikhail Youzhny in the fifth rubber.

Marat Safin was forced to sit out the tie with a knee injury.

Slovak Republic leads Argentina 2-1

Karol Beck and Michal Mertinak posted their third consecutive doubles win this year in Davis Cup play to put the Slovak Republic up 2-1 over Argentina, defeating David Nalbandian and Mariano Puerta 7-6(5), 7-5, 7-6(5).

"They played very well," said Nalbandian who proved the weakest of the foursome on Saturday. "We tried to do our best, I think we played at a very good level, but they played better than us. It's not funny to be 2-1 down, but that's the way it is."

Not funny-ha-ha, or funny like a clown?

"We didn't start with our best performances in both tiebreaks, and we were a bit unlucky in a few points," Nalbandian said.

Now Guillermo Coria will have to beat Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty in the opener on Sunday, and Nalbandian will have to best Beck in the decider to advance to the World Group final.

"Yeah, I'm going to be ready," said Beck if the tie comes down to the fifth and deciding singles.