Argentina Draw Level
04 December, 2006
Argentine Number 1 David Nalbandian threw his country a lifeline in the Davis Cup Final when he defeated Nikolay Davydenko in four sets 6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to level the tie.
In the first of today’s reverse singles to decide the Davis Cup final winner, Nalbandian ensured the fifth rubber would be a live one at Moscow's Olympic arena.
Marat Safin will play Jose Acasuso, who replaced Juan Ignacio Chela in the Argentine line-up. Chela lost on the opening day in four sets to the world number three Davydenko.
Nalbandian demolished Safin in straight sets on Friday and was continued his rich vein of form breaking Davydenko twice in the opening set. He repeated the dose in the second to take a stranglehold on the match.
Davydenko hit back in the third when Nalbandian was broken in the ninth game.
Cheered on by Argentine World Cup-winning captain Diego Maradona, Nalbandian reasserted his dominance in the fourth breaking in the 10th game.
"I played very well today, both tactically and mentally," said Nalbandian.
"Maybe in the third set I didn't play as good as in the first two and also he started to play a little better too,"
"But I felt like I was always in control of the match and I lost the third set only by mistakes."
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