Buenos Aires: Argentina will host the Davis Cup final against Spain in November after Juan Martin del Potro dismantled Igor Andreev in straight sets to beat Russia on Sunday.
Del Potro, who turns 20 on Tuesday, defeated Andreev 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 in the decisive fifth and final match of the semi-final.
In the first reverse singles, top Russian Nikolay Davydenko evened the tie at 2-2 when he beat Argentina's No. 1 David Nalbandian 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-0.
It will be Argentina's third appearance in the Davis Cup final, and its first as host. In 2006, Argentina lost to Russia and in 1981 the team fell to the US
Spain beat defending champion the United States 4-1 in their semi-final in Madrid.
Argentina captain Alberto Mancini said the win was a "dream ending," adding that he and the players agreed that facing Spain on an indoor hard-court would give them the greatest advantage over the clay-savvy Spaniards.
"That's where we'll have a chance," Mancini said.
Del Potro told the roaring crowd at Parque Roca Stadium, where Argentina hasn't lost for 10 years, that "we'll need you more than ever against the Spaniards."
"I was nervous at first but it's easy to play well with all of you here," he said.
Del Potro, who made his Cup debut last year and was playing his first home tie, set the tone in his match when he broke Andreev in the first game. He held serve to take the first set.
Then from 1-2 in the second he won nine games in a row to lead by two sets and 4-0. Andreev finally held, but del Potro broke a sixth time to win the match in 2 hours, 13 minutes.
Andreev said he expected a tough match against del Potro after seeing him beat Davydenko on Friday.
Del Potro had also won four titles this summer, reached the US Open quarter-finals, and won 24 of his last 25 matches.
"He's on a hot streak at the moment," Andreev said, adding the Argentines had a "chance" to beat the Spaniards as long as they don't play on clay.
Russia captain Shamil Tarpischev said in jest the only tactic to defeat the dominant del Potro would have been to get him away from the boisterous and intimidating support of the Argentine fans.
"We should have played in Moscow," Tarpischev quipped.
Del Potro wasn't expected to be the team's hero. Nalbandian was favoured to seal the result in Sunday's first singles, but he suffered his first singles loss at home and on clay since his 2002 Davis Cup debut.
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Del Potro sought out Nalbandian after the tie to embrace him and thank him for his support as well as his strength in playing three matches.
"David told me before the match to take advantage of the opportunity I had to win the series," del Potro said. "He said I was in top form."
"The match was rather difficult at the beginning, but got easier as it progressed. Perhaps I was nervous with the urge to wrap up the tie in this vital match.
"I didn't imagined I would have to decide the series. I thought it would be decided before my last match."
Nalbandian had also played the doubles on Saturday, when he lost his first Davis Cup match at home, and he admitted he ran out of steam against Davydenko in their fourth set.
Mancini said he knew Nalbandian's fatigue would be an issue in the "tough" match, but decided to risk it, betting on a win by del Potro.
Trying to justify the crowd's rabid support, Nalbandian often threw his racket in frustration, giving Davydenko a boost.
"The first set was difficult for me, but afterward I saw that Nalbandian was a little nervous and that gave me strength to keep on fighting," Davydenko said. "I think after the second set the luck of the game changed."
Nalbandian said Davydenko was the "fair winner."
Davydenko forced Nalbandian to hustle for every point in front of the capacity 14,000-strong crowd, whose raucous behavior often held up play, much to the Russian's anger.
Davydenko approached the umpire to ask him to tell Nalbandian to stop revving up the crowd.
The Argentine fans booed and whistled loudly anytime a small section of Russian fans cheered for their team, and had to be repeatedly asked to be silent before countless serves by Davydenko.
After early mistakes from both players at the start, Nalbandian began to move Davydenko all over the court with well-placed strokes and drop shots. He broke the Russian in the fourth game en route to taking the first set.
In the second, Davydenko dropped serve in the first game but immediately broke back from love-40.
The Russian played better as the rallies became longer, breaking Nalbandian twice more with the help of three double faults.
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The two top-10 players improved in the third set before Nalbandian lost concentration and was broken in the fifth game. He broke back for 5-5, but easily lost the tiebreaker.
By the fourth set, Davydenko's well-placed shots were out of reach of a tired Nalbandian.
US ousted from Davis Cup
The US reign as Davis Cup champion ended on Sunday, with a commanding performance by a player having a commanding year.
Buoyed by the cheers of a home crowd in a bullring, Rafael Nadal played the role of accomplished matador to the fullest, defeating Andy Roddick 6-4, 6-0, 6-4 Sunday to send Spain to the final for the sixth time.
Nadal, a master on clay, dropped to his knees and pumped his fists after giving his country an insurmountable lead in the best-of-five format.
"It's one of the nicest sensations you can experience in your career," he said.
Nadal said he nearly didn't play on Sunday because an MRI scan a day earlier showed a strained buttock muscle.
In the finale before 20,000 fans at Las Ventas arena, Feliciano Lopez defeated Sam Querrey 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4) in a match that had no bearing to complete a 4-1 victory.
Nadal was playing in Spain for the first time since capturing the top ranking. Nadal won the French Open, Wimbledon and the Olympic gold medal this year and ended Roger Federer's record 237 weeks at No. 1.
"It was one of my most emotional matches of the past few months," Nadal said. "This was a weekend I will always remember in my career."
Nadal also beat Roddick four years ago in Seville to help Spain land its second title.
"What Rafa did today deserves full credit," Spain captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario said. "He consumed every point."
Nadal picked Roddick apart with an array of shots. He broke Roddick five times, saved all seven break points and served eight aces.
He won on his sixth match point by slicing a backhand winner across court from deep behind the baseline.
"I don't think you could draw up a tougher scenario than playing Nadal away in front of this crowd," said Roddick, who fell to 0-7 on clay against top-10 players.
"It's probably the toughest match you can think of. Even Roger on grass, at least you can serve and the points are a little quicker."
Roddick, the 2003 US Open champion who is ranked No. 8, was blanked in a set for the first time in 22 Davis Cup series.
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He fell to 0-5 in must-win Davis Cup matches and 0-4 against players ranked higher than he is. Known for his big serve, Roddick had only eight aces, with four coming in the next-to-last game.
"He's the best clay-courter of all time and I'm not that good of a clay-courter," Roddick said. "He wasn't leaving any balls short; he was kind of going for his shots."
Nadal and David Ferrer led Spain's sweep of opening singles on Friday. The US, a 32-time Davis Cup champ, earned their point from Saturday's doubles victory by Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan.
Roddick ventured to the net but the strategy did not yield much against an opponent as savvy as Nadal, who has lost only twice in his past 117 clay matches.
"It was high risk, high reward," Roddick said. "I don't think there was much of a chance for me to sit back and trade punches with him from the baseline."
Nadal opened the semi-final Friday with a victory over Sam Querrey, a Davis Cup rookie who replaced James Blake, before David Ferrer rallied past Roddick in five sets.
The Americans won Saturday's doubles, with Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan downing Lopez and Fernando Verdasco.
The US had played 10 straight series with the same group, and were also missing Bryan's twin brother, Bob.
"It was a great Spanish team and a huge task coming here," US captain Patrick McEnroe said. "I think we even made Rafa sweat a little bit on Friday. We walk out of here with our heads held pretty high."
On Sunday, Nadal set up a triple-break chance in the eighth game in the first set. He then hit a forehand down the line to break for a 4-3 lead.
The crowd became charged up after Nadal rolled on the clay in vain to reach a drop shot.
In the 10th game, Roddick had a double-break chance. He flubbed the first one before Nadal delivered a forehand slam at the net, then closed things out with his third ace.
Roddick was exasperated after a 12-shot rally in the third game of the second set finished when Nadal hit a backhand into the corner. A return winner set up a double-break chance, which Nadal converted with a backhand.
Nadal caught the American going the other way with a volley to save a break chance in the sixth and Nadal closed the second set as he did the first - with an ace.
Roddick halted a seven-game slide by taking the opening game of the third set but could only let out a roar after Nadal saved a triple-break chance by the American, whose serve-and-volley approach was being picked apart by Nadal.
McEnroe offered only a chuckle to Roddick during the changeover with his player down 3-2 and the crowd chanting Roddick's name.
Nadal was unable to break Roddick one last time in the ninth game. The American saved five match points before Nadal eventually clinched the victory.
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