U.S. Trails Russia in Davis Cup Semifinals

To advance to the finals of the Davis Cup, the United States will have to mount its biggest comeback in more than 70 years.

Andy Roddick and James Blake lost their singles matches Friday against Russia in the world group semifinals at Moscow, leaving the U.S. team with a 2-0 deficit.

Roddick lost to Marat Safin, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (5), in the opening match and Blake lost to Mikhail Youzhny, 7-5, 1-6, 6-1, 7-5. Russia can clinch the best-of-five series today with a victory in the doubles.

The last time the U.S. came back from a 2-0 Davis Cup deficit was in 1934 against Australia.

“Obviously, our backs are against the wall,” U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe said. “I believe in these guys. I think they can play well on clay.”

The winner will face either Australia or Argentina in the final in December.

David Nalbandian beat Mark Philippoussis, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, Friday to give Argentina a 1-0 lead at Buenos Aires. In the second match, Argentina’s Jose Acasuso was leading Lleyton Hewitt, 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 4-0, when was it was postponed until today because of rain.

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Top-ranked Amelie Mauresmo defeated fifth-seeded Lindsay Davenport, 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the semifinals of the China Open at Beijing.

Mauresmo, who ended a nine-match losing streak against Davenport, will play sixth-seeded Jelena Jankovic, who beat Nadia Petrova, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

Also advancing was second-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, who beat seventh-seeded Li Na, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. She will play Peng Shuai, who beat Ai Sugiyama, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2.

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Top-seeded Martina Hingis defeated Tamarine Tanasugarn, 7-5, 6-2, to advance to the semifinals of the Sunfeast Open at Kolkata, India.

Hingis will next play fifth-seeded Sania Mirza, who beat Aravane Rezai, 6-4, 7-5.