DAVIS CUP SEMIFINALS

ARGENTINA 2, RUSSIA 1

Russian Davis Cup rookie Igor Kunitsyn teamed with Dmitry Tursunov (pictured) to post a 6-2, 6-1, 6-7(9), 3-6, 8-6 victory over Guillermo Canas and David Nalbandian and keep the Russians hopes of reaching a third straight final.
Russian team captain Shamil Tarpischev originally planned to use Igor Andreev with Tursunov in the double line-up but decided to insert Kunitsyn, who has never won an ATP singles or doubles title. He reached his first ATP doubles final in Nottingham (w/Tursunov) two years ago. Tursunov came in with a 1-5 mark in Davis Cup doubles play.
It appeared Kunitsyn and Tursunov were in control after taking the first two sets. They held three match points at 6-3 in the third set tie-break but Canas and Nalbandian rallied to win 11-9 in the tie-break and took the fourth set to force a deciding set. In the rollercoaster fifth set, the Argentines broke Kunitsyn to take a 3-1 lead but Canas was broken in the next game. Nalbandian was broken in the seventh game and Kunitsyn lost his serve again in the next game. Both teams held until the 13th game when Canas was broken. Tursunov then served out the three hour and 37 minute match.
The Russians converted 10 of 17 break points and saved 11 of 18 break points on their serve.
It was the first Davis Cup doubles clay court loss (7-1) for Nalbandian, who fell to 10-4 lifetime. Canas slipped to 4-3 in Cup doubles play.
Argentina has not lost on home soil in 10 years, winning 12 straight ties. The host nation is attempting to reach its third Davis Cup final, having lost to Russia in the 2006 final and to the U.S. in the 1981 final (both away ties). If Argentina wins one of the two singles matches Sunday, they will host Spain or the U.S. in the final Nov. 21-23.