Russia will face Argentina in the 2006 Davis Cup final after Dmitry Tursunov overcame Andy Roddick in a marathon fourth rubber as the hosts won 3-2 against the United States in Moscow yesterday.

The Russians next host Argentina from December 1-3 after the South Americans reached their first Davis Cup final in 25 years with a 5-0 whitewash of Australia in Buenos Aires.

Tursunov had squandered a two-set lead but hung on to win 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 17-15 in nearly five hours, taking the rubber and his country's first victory against the United States on his fourth match point, after Roddick had served for the match at 6-5.

It equalled the longest final set in a World Group singles rubber, and secured a 3-1 winning lead for the Russians.

James Blake got a point back for the Americans when he later beat Marat Safin 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) in the final dead rubber.

US doubles specialists Mike and Bob Bryan beat Tursunov and Mikhail Youzhny in straight sets Saturday to keep alive their team's hopes of reaching the final.

Argentina, meanwhile, sealed their spot on Saturday when doubles duo David Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri beat Wayne Arthurs and Paul Hanley to give the hosts an unbeatable 3-0 win in their semi-final tie.

They extended their lead to 4-0 on Sunday after Agustin Calleri's 6-0, 6-3 romp over Paul Hanley in the first dead rubber and completed the whitewash by walkover when Arthurs did not play Juan Ignacio Chela.

Argentine captain Alberto Mancini said: "We've waited for this for a long time. It's unbelievable to be here with the chance of winning.

"To beat Australia here at home in the semifinals is something. We are very emotional people as you can see and that's why I am overwhelmed."

It will be Argentina's second appearance in the Davis Cup final after 1981, when the South Americans lost 3-1 to the United States.

Russia are still looking for their first Davis Cup final victory at home, having lost there to Sweden in 1994 and USA in 1995.

Russia won their only Davis Cup title in Paris in 2002, defeating France 3-2.

Meanwhile Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Romania, the Czech Republic and Belgium secured their places in the World Group next year.

World No 1 Roger Federer secured Switzerland's place among the elite by beat beating Serbia's Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 at the Geneva Palexpo.

Marco Chiudinelli then beat Janko Tipsarevic 6-4, 6-1 in the dead singles rubber to make the final score 4-1 in Switzerland's favour.

Rafael Nadal defeated Filippo Volandri of Italy 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 to give Spain an unassailable 3-1 lead in their World Group Play-off tie in Santander.

In the final rubber, David Ferrer made the final score 4-1 for Spain after he completed a routine 6-2, 6-2 win over Andreas Seppi.

In Dusseldorf, Germany secured their place in the World Cup with a 4-1-victory over Thailand.

Alexander Waske gave his team the decisive point by beating Thai number one Paradorn Srichaphan 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (14/12) with Florian Mayer later defeating Sanchai Ratiwatana in the dead rubber 6-1, 6-3.

Andrei Pavel beat Hyung-Taik Lee 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to give Romania an unbeatable 3-1 lead over South Korea in Bucharest.

Elsewhere Belgian overcame the Slovak Republic 3-2 in Bratislava and Austria completed a 5-0 whitewash over Mexico at Portschach and the Czech Republic beat the Netherlands 4-1 at Leiden.

China beat Pakistan

China whitewashed Pakistan 5-0 in the play-off tie of the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I matches over the weekend in Beijing.

After Wang Yu and Sun Peng defeated Aqeel Khan and Aisam Qureshi on Friday, Zeng Shaoxuan and Yu Yinyuan, semi-finalists at last week's China Open, overcame Asim Shafik and Khan in the doubles for an unbeatable 3-0 lead and helped the hosts to remain in Group I.

Yesterday, Wang and Sun both won their reverse singles for the victory.

(China Daily September 25, 2006)