United States Defeats Sweden in Davis Cup Tennis

23 September 2007 -- The United States will host Russia in the Davis Cup tennis World Group final in November, after the U.S. defeated Sweden 4-1 in Goteburg and Russia held off Germany 3-2 in Moscow.

Andy Roddick served 16 aces Sunday to beat host-Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 to clinch a semifinal victory. James Blake beat Simon Aspelin of Sweden, 6-1, 6-3, in a dead-rubber match to make the final in the best-of-five series, 4-1. The Americans will be hosting the final for the first time since 1992.

Russia came back from a 2-1 deficit Sunday by winning both reverse singles matches. Mikhail Youzhny defeated Germany's Philipp Petzschner, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to even the tie at 2-2, before Igor Andreev sealed Russia's place in the final by defeating Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 in the decisive fifth match.

In Prague, Roger Federer's two singles victory were not enough to keep the Czech Republic from winning its best-of-five World Group playoff against Switzerland. Czech Radek Stepanek beat Swiss player Stanislas Wawrinka in straight sets in the decisive fifth match to earn a 3-2 win for the hosts and a spot in the 2008 World Group. Switzerland will be relegated to regional zone play next year.

In other World Group playoffs, Serbia dominated Australia, Great Britain topped Croatia and Austria dumped Brazil, all by 4-1 scores. Israel beat Chile 3-2, while Romania edged Japan and South Korea downed Slovakia by the same score. Peru has also clinched a berth in the World Group with an unbeatable 3-1 lead over Belarus.

(Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.)

Source: VOANews.com