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The Sports Network TSN
Bamberg, Germany (Sports Network) - Argentina settled for a 4-1 victory over
host Germany in a best-of-five opening-round Davis Cup matchup.
The 2011 runner-up Argentines will host Croatia in a quarterfinal in April.
Argentina clinched the tie with a doubles win by former Wimbledon runner-up
David Nalbandian and Eduardo Schwank here on Saturday, which gave the visitors
an insurmountable 3-0 lead. Nalbandian and Schwank fought back from a two-
sets-to-love deficit against oft-injured former world No. 2 Tommy Haas and
Philipp Petzschner in order to prevail.
In Sunday's meaningless reverse singles, Juan Ignacio Chela gave Argentina a
4-0 advantage by besting Florian Mayer 7-5, 7-5 and the Germans finally got a
point when Cedrik-Marcel Stebe downed Schwank 7-6 (7-1), 7-5 on the red clay
at Stechert Arena Bamberg.
In Friday's opening singles, Juan Monaco and Nalbandian posted big wins for
the visitors.
Argentina is still trying for that elusive first Davis Cup title, having
finished as the runner-up four times. The Argentines lost to Spain in last
year's finale in Seville.
Three-time champion Germany is 2-6 all-time against Argentina, including a 5-0
setback in their last meeting back in 2003.
The Sports Network