Chile Rocks Spain, Germany Survives at World Team Cup

After Nicolas Kiefer began with a 7-6(10), 6-3 win over Italy's Filippo Volandri, Davide Sanguinetti evened things with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Haas-substitute Philipp Kohlschreiber. German doubles specialists Michael Kohlmann and Alexander Waske broke the tie in the doubles, subduing Sanguinetti/Volandri 6-4, 6-4.

Chile also started off a winner by routing Spain 3-0, with Nicolas Massu outlasting Fernando Verdasco 6-4 in the third, Fernando Gonzalez winning a three-setter over David Ferrer, and the Chilean doubles team of Paul Capdeville/Adrian Garcia besting Feliciano Lopez/Verdasco 6-3, 6-2.

"There are no favorites in our group, but as a team we Chileans have always been very strong at this event," Massu said. "The World Team Championship can boast very good entries this year, there are only (Roger) Federer and (Rafael) Nadal missing. All other players who are here, want to win the title. I was quite happy with my game against Verdasco today."

On Monday the U.S. will sit Andy Roddick, who in Rome suffered neck and back pain, against Croatia electing to go with James Blake against Ivan Ljubicic, and Robby Ginepri against "Dr." Ivo Karlovic, who substitutes for Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic.

Argentina will also square off against the Czech Republic with Gaston Gaudio vs. Robin Vik, and David Nalbandian vs. Tomas Berdych.