Volkov Stuns Stich on Fast Court, Russians Take Surprising 2-0 Lead

Russia moved to the brink of its first Davis Cup final ever here Friday, when Alexander Volkov beat Michael Stich to complete a sweep of the two opening singles matches against the defending champion German team.

Stich, playing under a death threat on the same court where Monica Seles was stabbed last year, was upset by Volkov, 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. In the opening match, Yevgeny Kafelnikov beat Bernd Karbacher, 7-6 (7-2), 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.

Russia can reach the final for the first time since it joined the competition in 1962 by winning the doubles today or one of two singles Sunday.

Volkov beat Stich, recent U.S. Open runner-up, on a hard court especially put down for the German, who is ranked No. 2 in the world. Afterward, Stich said he might skip the doubles, apparently because of a death threat called in against him late Thursday.

Germany, three-time Davis Cup champion, last rallied from a 2-0 deficit in 1960, against Czechoslovakia. The Germans have not been beaten at home since losing, 3-2, to Sweden in the 1985 final.

The hard court replaced the usual clay surface at the Rothenbaum club and was put in to help Stich’s serve-and-volley fast-court game.

“I wasn’t concentrating, I was not at all on the court,” Stich said. “I didn’t react, I moved badly. But this is no excuse.”

Stich also complained that the home crowd failed to inspire his team.