MOSCOW (AP):Alexander Waske and Philipp Petzschner beat Dmitry Tursunov and Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) yesterday to give Germany a 2-1 lead in their Davis Cup semi-final against Russia.
Meanwhile, in Goteborg, the United States also went up 2-1 over hosts Sweden in their semi-final when Bob and Mike Bryan beat Simon Aspelin and Jonas Bjorkman 7-6 (11), 6-2, 6-3.
Waske and Petzschner, playing together for the first time in five years, broke the Russians twice in the opening set.
"We said straight from the beginning we have to (win) this - otherwise it can go wrong," Petzschner said after his Davis Cup debut. He substituted for injured doubles specialist Michael Kohlmann.
Prevailed to lead
The Russians capitalised on Waske's poor serve to win the second set, then forced a tiebreaker in the third after saving a break point in the seventh game. However, the Germans prevailed to restore the lead.
As Waske struggled with an injured elbow, the Russians had a break point in the third game of the fourth set, but could not capitalise.
"There was one serve in the fourth set when I heard a click and from then on it was hurting like hell," Waske said of his elbow. Waske said he broke his right elbow at the French Open in June.
"I was this close to quitting basically," Waske said. "But it's so important to keep on going. ... They had trouble returning my little-girl serve."
Germany lost only five points on Petzschner's serve in the first three sets and he fought hard to earn points at the net.
"What a performance," Waske said of his partner, who has played only two matches on the ATP Tour this season and 11 in his career. "If I had a hat, I'd raise it."
In Goteborg, the Bryan twins, who are 12-1 in Davis Cup doubles, saved three set points in the first-set tiebreaker on Scandinavium arena's fast indoor carpet.
"The first set could have gone either way. It actually lifted our game and we started playing better and better," Bob Bryan said.
Bjorkman dropped his serve for the third time in the match, giving the Americans a 3-1 lead in the third set after Aspelin netted a return. The Americans held their serve the rest of the way.
"I served the best I've done in the Davis Cup," Mike Bryan said. "That first set was huge. The momentum shifted after the first set. Then we played two great sets. So we're very happy."
The American pair broke Bjorkman's serve twice to win the second set. The Swedish veteran, at age 35 the oldest player in the series, was broken to love to give the Americans a 3-1 edge. Bob Bryan's return on the line clinched the second set with the Swedes trailing 5-2.
