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Summary Bob and Mike Bryan kept US hopes alive in their Davis Cup semi-final tie against Spain.
The United States won back ground against holders Spain in the Davis Cup semi-final Saturday, with twins Bob and Mike Bryan beating Marc Lopez and Marcel Granollers in the doubles to make the tie 2-1.The twins from California beat the Catalan pair 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, making for a thrilling Sunday to decide the tie on the Spaniards home red clay in Gijon, northern Spain.Buoyed by singles victories for David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro on Friday and by a festive home crowd, the Spanish team made the Americans -- the worlds top-ranked doubles team -- work hard.It was a battle. We came here to win and we kept the game alive, Bob Bryan said. It wasnt pretty all the time, but a wins a win.That was probably the toughest Spain team weve played, added Mike Bryan.The Bryans -- left-handed Bob and right-handed Mike -- broke Spain twice to take the first set, but the Catalans fought back gutsily in the second, trading blistering cross-court rallies and sliced returns.They defended a string of break points to hold serve and in the third set hauled the Americans in from a 3-1 lead to 4-4, Granollers battling on despite a calf strain sustained in the second, for which he received medical attention.Spain led early in the fourth set before succumbing to the Americans hard volleys.It was the 20th Davis Cup victory for the Bryans, who also won gold at the London Olympics and the doubles at the US Open last week -- a record 12th Grand Slam title for the pair.They have lost only two of their total 22 Davis Cup matches.Spain had edged close to a sixth final in 10 years on Friday when they shrugged off the absence of Rafael Nadal to open a 2-0 lead.The United States -- the most successful team overall in Davis Cup history with 32 victories -- admitted they were not favourites when they came to Spain for the tie.But under the captaincy of former Grand Slam-winner Jim Courier, they have chalked up back-to-back away wins in Switzerland (5-0), where John Isner shocked Roger Federer, and France (3-2), where he defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.Spain have dominated the Davis Cup over the past decade, winning it five times, and are surfing a wave of 23 consecutive home victories.World number five Ferrer has a chance to send Spain through to the final if he beats the six-foot, nine-inch (206-centimetre) Isner in the fourth game of the tie on Sunday afternoon.Ferrer is such a warrior and a great competitor and Johns going to have to play better than he did yesterday to stand a chance. Hes a little bit more physically taxed than David is for sure, said Courier.If Ferrer, currently Spanish number one in the absence of the injured Nadal, slips up, it will be up to Almagro and Sam Querrey to decide the tie in the final match.Im sure Spain are ready to put us away but weve got two guys ready to fire tomorrow, Courier said.Well take our chances and see what happens. Until its over -- I think Yogi Bear said this -- it aint over. Lets make these guys go to work.
