Rain Halts Davis Cup Play With Argentina Leading Australia

Rain held Argentina to a 1-0 lead over Australia Friday in the Davis Cup semifinals, with a 2-0 lead well in sight.

With Argentinean sports hero Diego Maradona looking on, David Nalbandian put the home country up 1-0 with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win over Mark Philippoussis in the first rubber. In the second match Jose Acasuso led Lleyton Hewitt 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 4-0 before rain halted play for the day.

"It was great, the crowd was amazing, it's completely full, the stadium and it was only 11 in the morning, so that's unbelievable," Nalbandian said after his win. "The match was very quiet and I didn't get tired which is very good for me for the doubles."

Hewitt led two sets to one and 2-2 in the fourth before the wheels came off, losing eight straight games, cheered by the vocal crowd before the reprieve of rain cancelled play for the day.

Saturday will be the completion of Hewitt-Acasuso match, and the doubles scheduled with Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri for Argentina against Wayne Arthurs and Paul Hanley for the Aussies.