Bamberg, Germany (Sports Network) - Last year's runner-up Argentina got
opening singles wins from David Nalbandian and Juan Monaco on Friday, as the
host Germans trail their South American counterparts 2-0 in a best-of-five
opening-round Davis Cup affair.
Monaco, fresh off his title in Chile on Sunday, got the first point of the tie
by blasting Philipp Petzschner 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, and the former Wimbledon runner-
up Nalbandian followed by overcoming Florian Mayer 2-6, 6-0, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) on
the red clay at Stechert Arena Bamberg.
Saturday's doubles currently pit an Argentine tandem of Juan Ignacio
Chela and Eduardo Schwank against a German duo of Petzschner and former world
No. 2 Tommy Haas, while Sunday's reverse singles currently call for Monaco
to meet Mayer and Nalbandian to take on Petzschner.
The Argentines, still seeking that elusive first-ever Davis Cup title, are
captained by Martin Jaite, while the three-time champion Germans are guided by
Patrik Kuhnen. Argentina lost to mighty Spain in last year's final and has
been the Davis Cup runner-up four times without winning.
Argentina, which is 5-2 all-time against Germany, is playing without its
world No. 10 star Juan Martin del Potro this week.
The winner here will meet the Croatia-Japan victor in the quarterfinals in
April.
The Sports Network