By DPA
Vienna : Andy Roddick and James Blake overcame their issues with the clay court, posting wins to hand defending champions US a 2-0 lead over Austria in the Davis Cup World Group tennis.
Roddick wrestled with the patchy indoor surface, spending four hours in defeating Jurgen Melzer 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 Friday. It went slightly more smoothly for Blake, who beat Austria’s number one Stefan Koubek in a 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 comeback.
The Americans are counting on the Bryan brothers to continue their 13-1 Davis Cup juggernaut in doubles against Melzer and Julien Knowle.
The Friday’s opening rubber turned into a marathon on a court that Roddick complained was not ready to play upon at the Ferry Dusika velodrome.
“It was terrible. It was only laid on Tuesday and clay needs time to settle,” said the world number six who improved his Davis Cup record to 27-9.
“It’s the same for both players, but it’s a shame when points are decided by the court and not the players,” he said.
“Is it the worst I’ve played on in the Davis Cup? Absolutely.”
Roddick ended the contest with his 21st ace, overcoming 68 unforced errors compared to 97 for Melzer, a left-hander ranked 58th.
“I knew my match against Jurgen would be my toughest,” said Roddick.
“He played great but I was finally able to get to him in the fifth set.”
Melzer showed he had come to play by forcing Roddick to save four break points in the opening game – three through aces – but the American’s firepower eventually proved to be too strong over the long haul.
The US entered this year’s Davis Cup as defending champions, after winning their first title in 12 years in December. Austria has never progressed past the semi-finals of the worldwide team competition.
In Moscow, 2007 finalist Russia moved ahead of Serbia 2-0 with the visitors missing Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic through illness and Janko Tipsarevic with injury.
Mikhail Youzhny prevailed over doubles specialist Nenad Zimonjic who had played only a handful of singles contest in the past year, winning 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
World number four Nikolay Davydenko ran hot and cold before icing the day’s scoreline against substitute Viktor Troicki 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2. Russia is missing the injured Marat Safin.
Youzhny said he had to flip a mental switch when he learned less than an hour before his match that he would not be playing Djokovic.
“I knew for a week that if I play on the first day it’ll be against Novak Djokovic and then 45 minutes before the match they say Novak is sick and it’s going to be Nenad Zimonjic,” said the Russian.
Israel and Sweden stand level 1-1 at Ramat Hasharon, with Dudi Sela giving the hosts a lead by beating Jonas Bjorkman 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, 6-1. But Thomas Johansson put things right for the visitors, trouncing Harel Levy 6-1, 6-1, 6-3.
Philipp Kohlschreiber moved Germany into early command over South Korea, beating An Jae-Sung 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in Braunschweig. But Lee Hyung-Taik levelled the tie, beating Florian Mayer 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 6-7 (7-9), 6-3.
Richard Gasquet won an opening match for France in Romania, downing Victor Hanescu 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 7-5; Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga proved himself 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 over Andrei Pavel for a 2-0 French margin.
An expected rout in Buenos Aires became reality as David Nalbandian started Argentina off with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 thrashing of 235th ranked Briton Jamie Baker, reaching 5-0 in 16 minutes.
Agustin Calleri predictably finished off Alex Bogdanovic 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 to put the hosts firmly in control against Britain on the South American clay.
The Czech Republic stand 2-0 over Belgium through victories from Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek.
DPA