DAVIS CUP SEMIFINALS

Nadal, Ferrer Give Spain 2-0 Lead

Rafael Nadal (pictured) got Spain off to a winning start in its Davis Cup semifinal against defending champions United States in Madrid on Friday, after fighting back from a set and service break down to beat debutant Sam Querrey 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in three hours and 17 minutes. The 22-year-old Mallorcan last lost a Davis Cup singles rubber (to Jiri Novak) in February 2004 on his debut for Spain against the Czech Republic. He is now unbeaten in nine singles rubbers.
The tie was played at the Plaza de Toros Las Ventas, which was built in 1929, with a sellout crowd of 22,000.
The World No. 1 improved to an ATP-best 76-9 on the season (23-1 on clay) after hitting 59 winners (25 on the forehand wing) and converting four of seven break point opportunities. Querrey, a replacement for James Blake, hit 17 aces and hit 76 winners but committed 74 unforced errors. The pair met in the US Open fourth round earlier this month, which Nadal also won in four sets.
David Ferrer gave Spain a 2-0 advantage as he rallied to defeat top American Andy Roddick 7-6(5), 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 8-6 in three hours and 17 minutes.
Roddick, who saw his nine-match Davis Cup winning streak come to an end, didn't lose serve in the first three sets before Ferrer broke three times in the last two sets. Roddick fell to 29-10 lifetime in Davis Cup play while Ferrer improved to 5-2.
Ferrer broke for the first time in the opening game of the fourth set and held on to level the match. In the fifth set, Ferrer broke for a 2-1 lead but was broken in the next game. The Spaniard broke again to take a 7-6 lead and then served out the match.
Roddick fired 23 aces and won 13 more points (153 to 140) in the match than Ferrer but only converted six of 13 break points. Ferrer was three of four on break point opportunities. He now has a 4-2 lead over Roddick.
Roddick was looking for his first career Top 10 win (0-7) on clay. Roddick’s highest-ranked win over an opponent on clay came against No. 12 Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in the 2007 Davis Cup first round in Ostrava..