Germany Also Takes a 2-0 Lead as Becker, Stich Beat Russians

In the other Davis Cup semifinal, between Russia and Germany in Moscow, Boris Becker and Michael Stich overcame slow, soggy clay designed to sap their power and swept singles matches against Andrei Chesnokov and Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

Becker beat Chesnokov, 6-7 (7-4), 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, then cheered Stich on to a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Kafelnikov in front of a partisan Olympic Stadium crowd of 10,000.

Germany needs only one victory in today’s doubles or Sunday’s reverse singles to avenge last year’s 4-1 semifinal loss to Russia in Hamburg and advance to the final against the United States or Sweden in December.