JOIN USThe 28-year-old hip surgery victim from 2009, his ranking down past 150, iced the tie with a defeat of Mikhail Youzhny, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-3 in the deciding rubber. This is the first time Argentina have defeated Russia in Moscow after two losses in the capital.
The second semifinal September 17-19 will be played between Serbia and Czech after the Serbs achieved a historic first final-four spot as an independent nation, 4-1 over hot rivals Croatia.The Czechs defeated Chile 4-1.
Scores: At Moscow: Argentina bt Russia 3-2 (David Nalbandian bt Mikhail Youzhny 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-3; Eduardo Schwank lt to Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 3-6, 1-6, 4-6. On Saturday: Eduardo Schwank/Horacio Zeballos bt Nikolay Davydenko/Igor Kunitsyn 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-1. On Friday: Leonardo Mayer lt to Mikhail Youzhny 3-6, 1-6, 6-4; David Nalbandian bt Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 7-6(5), 7-6(6).
At Coquimbo: Czech Republic lead Chile 3-1: Lukas Dlouhy lt to Jorge Aguilar 1-6, 6-7(6). On Saturday: Lukas Dlouhy/Jan Hajek bt Jorge Aguilar/Nicolas Massu 7-6(3), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. On Friday: Jan Hajek bt Paul Capdeville 6-0, 6-2, 6-1; Ivo Minar bt Nicolas Massu 6-0, 6-2, 6-3.
At Clermont-Ferrand: France bt Spain 5-0 (Julien Benneteau bt Feliciano Lopez 7-6(3), 6-4; Gilles Simon bt Nicolas Almagro 7-6(4), 7-6(7). Julien Benneteau/Michael Llodra bt Feliciano Lopez/Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6), 7-6(5). On Friday: Michael Llodra bt Fernando Verdasco 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(2); Gael Monfils bt David Ferrer 7-6(3), 6-2, 4-6, 5-7, 6-4.
At Split: Serbia bt Croatia 4-1 (Janko Tipsarevic bt Antonio Veic 6-2, 7-6(5); Novak Djokovic bt Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-3, 6-2.
On Saturday: Janko Tipsarevic/Nenad Zimonjic bt Ivan Dodig/MarinCilic 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. On Friday: Viktor Troicki lt to Marin Cilic 4-6, 5-7, 2-6; Novak Djokovic bt Ivan Ljubicic 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-1.