Argentina were on the brink of an historic Davis Cup tennis triumph in Australia after a straight sets doubles victory here Saturday had them just one win away from victory.
David Nalbandian was the outstanding performer beating Wayne Arthurs in their suspended morning singles match before teaming up with French Open finalist Mariano Puerta to down Lleyton Hewitt and Arthurs 7-6 (8/6), 6-4, 6-3.
Hewitt, the world No 2, must win his showdown with in-form Nalbandian in the first of the two reverse singles Sunday to keep Australia alive in the tie with Arthurs facing a potentially deciding final rubber with Guillermo Coria.
Argentina have never won in Australia and the last time they played here on grass they were hammered 5-0 in 1990.
"It is amazing to have two points (wins) in one day, it's perfect for the team," Nalbandian said.
"We have a lot of confidence with these two points, we just need to win one more match. It doesn't matter if it's me or if it's Guillermo, we come here to try and win three points from the series," he said.
Hewitt, who traded insults on Friday with Coria after a feisty singles match, said he looked forward to playing Nalbandian.
"I look forward to the challenge of trying to keep Australia in the Davis Cup and it doesn't matter whom I'm playing tomorrow I understand what I have to do tomorrow and I think I'll handle the situation," he said. Should Hewitt level the tie it will be all down to Arthurs to beat Coria in a situation reminiscent of his devastating four-set loss to Nicolas Escude in the last rubber of the 2001 final against France on grass in Melbourne.
Australian captain John Fitzgerald, who opted for a drop-in grass court, admitted after the doubles loss: "We were hoping to be leading after the second day, but that's not to be, we have to regroup and get ourselves in the best shape we can tomorrow.
AUCKLAND: Results of matches in the Davis Cup tennis Asia-Oceania Zone Group II semi-final between New Zealand and Kuwait here on Saturday:
DOUBLES: Mark Nielsen-Dan King-Turner (NZL) bt Mohammad Al Ghareeb-Mohammad-Khaliq Siddiq 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, 6-4.
PLAYED FRIDAY: Mark Nielsen (NZL) bt Abdullah Magdas (KUW) 7-6 (7/1), 1-6, 6-4, 6-1; GD Jones (NZL) bt Mohammad Al Gahreeb (KUW) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2.
New Zealand lead tie 3-0.
OSAKA: Results from the Davis Cup tennis Asia-Oceania Zone Group I playoff between Japan and Thailand here on Saturday:
ON FRIDAY: Takao Suzuki (JPN) bt Danai Udomchoke 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4; Paradorn Srichaphan (THA) bt Goichi Motomura (JPN) 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), 6-0.
MOSCOW: Results from the Davis Cup World Group quarter-final tie between Russia and France here on Saturday:
ON FRIDAY: Nikolai Davydenko (RUS) bt Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) 7-5, 6-2, 7-5; Richard Gasquet (FRA) bt Igor Andreev (RUS) 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/1).
BRATISLAVA: Results from the Davis Cup World Group quarter-final tie between Slovakia and Netherlands here on Saturday:
OPN FRIDAY: Dominik Hrbaty (SVK) bt Raemon Sluiter (NED) 6-1, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3; Peter Wessels (NED) bt Karol Beck (SVK) 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-2.