Nikolay Davydenko has postponed his honeymoon for at least a week to lead Russia in this weekend's Davis Cup final against Argentina.

World number three Davydenko, who married his long-time sweetheart Irina Vasina on Saturday, said winning the cup would be the best present he could get from his team mates.

Russia, undefeated at home in the Davis Cup since 1997 and also featuring former world number one Marat Safin, Mikhail Youzhny and Dmitry Tursunov, are considered the overwhelming favourites on a fast indoor court at Moscow's Olympic arena against the clay-court specialists from South America.

The Argentines are countering with world number eight David Nalbandian, Jose Acasuso, Agustin Calleri and Juan Ignacio Chela.

Russia captain Shamil Tarpishchev is taking nothing for granted, however. "When you have two evenly matched teams, each has a 50-50 chance of winning," Tarpishchev told Reuters.

"But in this particular case, I would even give Argentina a slight edge simply because they have a more balanced line-up."

His Argentine counterpart Alberto Mancini echoed that view.

"We don't consider ourselves to be clear underdogs," Mancini told reporters after arriving in Moscow on Sunday. "We are capable of playing quality tennis and we'll do our best to win."

This will be the fourth meeting between the two nations, with the Russians holding a slight edge, 2-1.

ARGENTINE REVENGE

Russia won the 2002 semi-final 3-2 on a similarly quick surface in Moscow on their way to claiming their first Davis Cup title, with Argentina taking swift revenge by thrashing them 5-0 in the quarter-finals in Buenos Aires the following year.

Russia also won 3-2 the countries' first meeting in a world group playoff in the Argentine capital in 1985.

Russia have lost both their previous Davis Cup finals held on home soil, to Sweden and the United States in 1994 and 1995 respectively. They beat France in the 2002 Paris final for their only triumph.

Argentina lost their only previous final to the U.S. in 1981.

Tarpishchev is likely to start with Davydenko and Safin as his two singles players and use Youzhny and Tursunov in doubles.
Youzhny, who clinched Russia's maiden Davis Cup title when he came from two sets down to beat Paul-Henri Mathieu in the decisive fifth rubber in Paris, has recovered from a serious ankle injury he suffered a month ago.

Tarpishchev could employ a similar strategy to the one he used in the 3-2 semi-final victory over the U.S. in September.

Then, on the last day of the three-day tie in Moscow, he brought in a fresh Tursunov against U.S. number one Andy Roddick for the decisive point.

This time, Tursunov could play the spoiler role again, replacing Davydenko against Argentine's top gun Nalbandian.

While Safin has won six out of eight encounters against Nalbandian, including the two they played on carpet, Davydenko has a dismal head-to-head record against the muscular Argentine, losing their last three matches.

The visitors can count on support from one of their most loyal fans, Diego Maradona.

The former Argentina soccer captain, who has attended several of his country's Davis Cup home ties, is expected to travel to Moscow to root for his compatriots.

(Reuters November 28, 2006)