Fri Apr 11 12:28:45 2008

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Russians, Czechs tied at 1-1 in Davis Cup QFs

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Moscow, Russia (Sports Network) - Host Russia and the Czech Republic split Friday's opening singles rubbers in their best-of-five Davis Cup World Group quarterfinal tie at Small Sports Arena.

In the first bout of the day, big Russian star Marat Safin came from way down to outduel big Czech Tomas Berdych 6-7 (5-7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 on the indoor clay court at "Luzhniki." The former world No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam event champion Safin, who has struggled mightily on the ATP circuit this season, overcame a two-set deficit for the first time in his career, while Berdych dropped a five-setter for the first time (9-1).

The Czechs promptly leveled the tie with Radek Stepanek, who posted an easy 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Russian Igor Andreev.

Saturday's pivotal doubles rubber calls for a Russian tandem of Nikolay Davydenko and Mikhail Youzhny to tangle with a Czech pairing of Lukas Dlouhy and Pavel Vizner, while Sunday's reverse singles have Andreev meeting Berdych and Safin facing Stepanek. Davydenko was last week's surprise champion at the so-called "Fifth Major" in Miami, but has been left out of the singles to this point.

Team Russia is captained by Shamil Tarpischev, while the Czech Republic is guided by Jaroslav Navratil.

The two-time champion Russians and one-time titlist Czechs have split eight all-time matchups. Russia has won the last two meetings, with the most recent one coming in 2003, when Davydenko beat Stepanek in a deciding fifth rubber.

The Russia-Czech Republic winner will take on the Argentina-Sweden victor in the semifinals in September.

Russia was last year's Davis Cup runner-up to the 32-time champion United States and has won two of the last six titles in this prestigious international team event.