Safin Helps Russia Win Davis Cup Doubles

Russia's Marat Safin, left, reacts after defeating Argentina's David Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri at the Davis Cup Final tennis match in Moscow, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2006 as Dmitry Tursunov, right, looks on. Russian pair Marat Safin and Dmitry Tursunov won 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev) (Ivan Sekretarev - AP)

MOSCOW -- This time, Marat Safin managed just fine on the court. The Russian found his footing Saturday on a surface that left him seething less than 24 hours earlier. He and Dmitry Tursunov to beat Argentina's David Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, putting Russia ahead 2-1 and one match from its second Davis Cup title.

The reverse singles Sunday at Olympic Stadium will decide the outcome, with Argentina trying for its first Davis Cup crown.

Russia's comfortable doubles victory came a day after Nalbandian evened the best-of-five final by beating Safin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. That match followed Nikolay Davydenko's 6-1, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Juan Ignacio Chela.

Safin had blamed the indoor carpet for his singles loss, saying the surface suited Nalbandian "perfectly." The Russian squad had trained on the carpet when it was placed on top of a wood parquet but in competition, Safin complained, the carpet was on cement.

The doubles victory did not entirely placate Safin.

"The surface was still uncomfortable for me," he said, adding the doubles was easier with each player responsible for "half the court."

The Argentine fans, including soccer great Diego Maradona, were subdued as Tursunov and Safin overpowered their opponents, conceding only one point in their first-set service games. Nalbandian and Calleri never had a break point in the match.

"At the beginning we couldn't make any returns ... and they returned well and gained confidence. That was tough," said Nalbandian, who looked like a shadow of the player who beat Safin with little difficulty in Friday's singles.

At first, Safin wasn't even scheduled to play Saturday _ he replaced Mikhail Youzhny in a late change by Russia coach Shamil Tarpishchev. But the two-time major champion said after the match he had known "for sure" he would play in the doubles.

"I think it was the best decision, and it worked," Safin said of his pairing with Tursunov, who kept up his part of the bargain by firing eight of Russia's 11 aces in a match that lasted just 1 hour, 38 minutes.

"We didn't want to stay out there too long and let them get in the match," Tursunov said. "Marat and I agreed that we would simply play our game and let them make mistakes, and that's what they did throughout the match."

If Nalbandian can even this series for the second time by beating Davydenko in Sunday's first match, it could be up to Safin and Chela to settle the final. The captains can change lineups up to an hour before play.