U.S. takes 2-1 lead over Colombia in Davis Cup match

Mardy Fish and John Isner beat Colombia’s Robert Farah and Carlos Salamanca, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3, on Saturday at Bogota, Colombia, to give the United States a 2-1 lead in the Davis Cup World Group playoff.

In Sunday’s reverse singles on the outdoor red clay court at Santamaria bull ring, Fish is scheduled to open against Santiago Giraldo, and Sam Querrey will face Alejandro Falla.

Fish could make a bit of history. The last American to win three times in a tie was Pete Sampras in the 1995 final in Moscow.

Asked if he would be tired Sunday, Fish replied: “Not at all. This is what we train for. That’s why we got here early.”

If Fish fails to clinch the match, the pressure will be on Querrey — or Isner, if U.S. Captain Patrick McEnroe makes a change. Neither has won a Davis Cup singles match.

The United States would stay in the World Group by winning the tie. If Colombia wins it would advance to the World Group for the first time.

The United States has dropped out only once since the World Group began in 1981. The Americans have won the Davis Cup a record 32 times, the last in 2007.

McEnroe, retiring as U.S. captain after the matches Sunday, initially announced he would pair Ryan Harrison with Isner in doubles, but shifted to the more experienced Fish, despite Fish playing a 4-hour singles match Friday in beating Falla.

“I think everyone is going to feel good since everyone has had one match out there,” McEnroe said. “We will see who is feeling good in the morning. It is good to have a lot of options.”

After the U.S. won the first two sets, Colombia kept itself in the match by winning the third. The South Americans led 3-0 but then failed to convert two set points at 6-5 and went into a tiebreaker, where they raced to 6-2 and held on to win 7-5.

Fish and Isner stepped up in the fourth set, surged to a 4-1 lead and then relied on Fish to serve out the match in just under 3 hours.

Colombia Captain Felipe Beron tried to stay upbeat.

“We recognize the Americans were good. They played well, but we are not out of it,” Beron said. “We can come back from being down 2-1.”

Kyle Busch wins Trucks race

Kyle Busch raced to his fifth Trucks Series victory of the season and 80th overall NASCAR win, passing James Buescher on the final restart at New Hampshire Motorspeedway in Loudon.

Busch and Kevin Harvick battled for the lead most of the race, and it appeared one of them would drive away with the victory. Buescher, though, dipped below both of them with 10 laps left to take the lead. He held it until Ron Hornaday spun into the wall late, bringing out a caution.

That set up Buescher vs. Busch on the restart with two laps left. Busch nudged past Buescher and tagged the wall — “it knocked my helmet crooked” — and sped ahead for the victory.

Buescher finished second and Harvick was third.

USA Swimming expands background checks

USA Swimming has responded to a sexual abuse scandal by expanding background checks, approving new athlete protection measures and making it mandatory for members to report any credible allegation.

The measures were overwhelmingly approved Saturday at the group’s annual convention in Dallas.

All non-athlete members of the USA Swimming must now pass a criminal background check, a move that will cover at least 30,000 additional members. Also, anyone who interacts directly and frequently with swimmers, including local club owners, must join USA Swimming.

Jim Wood, the group’s outgoing president, said the moves show USA Swimming is committed to dealing with numerous allegations of coaches having improper sexual contact with underage athletes.

Etc.

The Pittsburgh Steelers released quarterback Byron Leftwich so they can dress an additional defensive lineman for Sunday’s game at the Tennessee Titans. Leftwich is expected to return to the 53-man roster Monday. …

The LPGA Tour will return to the Los Angeles area for the firs time since 2005 when the Kia Classic is played at Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms in the City of Industry next year. The event, which was held at La Costa Resort & Spa last year, is scheduled to be held March 21-27. …

Noble Threewitt, a training icon in California for more than seven decades who saddled Correlation to win the 1954 Florida Derby and the Wood Memorial before finishing sixth in the Kentucky Derby as the 3-1 favorite in 1954, died Friday in West Covina. He was 99. …

Taylor Phinney edged Levi Leipheimer by 14-hundredths of a second to win the USA Cycling professional time trial championship at Greenville, S.C. Phinney completed the 30.7-mile course in 41 minutes 2.5 seconds. …

Diana Taurasi had 14 points and five assists to help the U.S. women’s national basketball team beat Senegal, 93-51, at Salamanca, Spain, in its final exhibition game before the world championship begins next week in the Czech Republic. The U.S. rebounded from an 83-77 loss to Australia on Friday night.