Tennis: USA and Russia keep Davis Cup hopes alive

MADRID: Defending champions USA and two-time winners Russia kept their hopes of reaching the Davis Cup final alive on Saturday after both teams clinched marathon doubles wins in their semi-finals.

In Madrid, the makeshift pairing of Mike Bryan and Mardy Fish enjoyed a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 win for the 32-time champions over Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco to trail Spain 2-1.

Meanwhile, in Buenos Aires, Russia, who slumped to a dispiriting 2-0 deficit against Argentina on Friday, saw Igor Kunitsyn and Dmitry Tursunov defeat David Nalbandian and Guillermo Canas 6-2, 6-1, 6-7 (9/11), 3-6, 8-6.