Wed Sep 26 20:56:33 2007

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Davis Cup final will be played in Portland

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White Plains, NY (Sports Network) - The 2007 Davis Cup World Group final between the host United States and defending champion Russia will be staged at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon, the United States Tennis Association announced on Wednesday.

The best-of-five tie will be played from November 30-December 2, on a surface yet to be determined, and will mark the first Davis Cup final on American soil in 15 years. The Americans topped the Swiss in the 1992 finale in Fort Worth, Texas.

The U.S., captained by Patrick McEnroe, featured Andy Roddick, James Blake and the twin Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, in its 4-1 semifinal victory against host Sweden last week, while the Russian team, skippered by Shamil Tarpischev, boasted Nikolay Davydenko, Igor Andreev, Dmitry Tursunov and Mikhail Youzhny in its home win against Germany.

The Americans hold a record 31 Davis Cup titles, but haven't won the championship since 1995, when Pete Sampras led them to a 3-2 victory over Russia in a final in Moscow.

The Russians beat Argentina in last year's finale, in Moscow, and captured the first of their two titles in 2002.

The U.S. is 2-1 all-time versus Russia, which beat the Americans 3-2 in last year's semifinals, in Moscow. Team USA bested the Russians 3-2 in an opening- round affair on home turf in Atlanta back in 1998.

Portland's Memorial Coliseum has hosted Davis Cup matches, which it did in 1981 and 1984.