Argentina knocks out Russia in Davis Cup quarters

David Nalbandian beat Mikhail Youzhny 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-3 today to give Argentina a 3-2 victory over Russia and a place in the Davis Cup semifinals.

David Nalbandian beat Mikhail Youzhny 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday to give Argentina a 3-2 victory over Russia and a place in the Davis Cup semifinals.

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Russia's Nikolay Davydenko had earlier rallied to beat Eduardo Schwank 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in the first reverse singles to make it 2-2 in the five-match series. Argentina had been leading 2-1 thanks to a win in the doubles on Saturday, after the two teams had shared Friday's opening singles.

But Nalbandian was in convincing form throughout the decisive fifth match of the quarterfinal contest on hard court and was never broken by Youzhny.

Argentina's win in Moscow ended Russia's 17-tie winning streak at home since losing to the United States in the 1995 final and lined up a series against France in the semifinals on Sept. 17-19. Argentina came to Moscow without the injured Juan Martin Del Potro, who is the country's No. 1, and Juan Monaco, but Nalbandian, who missed much of last season through injury and has been sidelined with a hamstring problem since April, won both his matches in straight sets.

Nalbandian, who beat Davydenko in the opening singles, prevailed in a first-set tiebreaker and broke Youzhny in the ninth game of the second set for a commanding 2-0 lead.