* Israel close to famous victory against Russia
* Germany peg champions Spain back to 1-1
* Croatia strike first against United States
* Argentina recover to level with Czechs
By Iain Rogers
MADRID, July 10 (Reuters) - Israel stunned twice Davis Cup
winners Russia to open a 2-0 lead in their World Group
quarter-final in Tel Aviv on Friday, while champions Spain were
tied at 1-1 with Germany in Marbella.
Czech Republic and Argentina were also level after the
opening two singles in their best of five tie, while Croatia
were 1-0 ahead against the United States as Marin Cilic's match
against American Mardy Fish dragged on late into the evening.
An Israeli team are within sight of a first semi-final at a
major sporting event, with Dudi Sela and Harel Levy the heroes.
Roared on by more than 10,000 local fans, the biggest crowd
to watch a tennis match in the country, Sela came from a set
down to beat Mikhail Youzhny after Levy had seen off Igor
Andreev, who is ranked almost 200 places above him.
"It's an amazing result. I didn't believe that after the
first day we would have the two points," Sela said. "Hopefully,
tomorrow is going to be the third one."
He paid tribute to the home support, saying it was by far
the biggest crowd he had ever played in front of.
"In the beginning I was very nervous, very tight. But as
soon as you get to enjoy it you play much better and you want to
win every point. They really helped me a lot."
PRETTY HOSTILE
In Porec, big-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic battled back from
two sets down for the first time in his career to beat world
number 17 James Blake, who is 10 places above him.
"It's an excellent feeling but we have to focus now on the
other matches," Karlovic said.
Blake was unhappy with the behaviour of the partisan fans,
saying some went too far even for a Davis Cup match.
"To boo our fans is something that I find unacceptable, to
yell out while I'm serving, to clap when I miss a first serve
and things like that on a pretty consistent basis seemed pretty
hostile to me," Blake said.
Last year's runners-up Argentina fell behind to Czech
Republic in Ostrava when Tomas Berdych recovered to beat Juan
Monaco in five sets but Juan Martin Del Potro levelled the tie
at 1-1 with a comfortable straight sets win over Ivo Minar.
The Spanish, missing the injured Rafael Nadal and David
Ferrer, had Fernando Verdasco to thank for putting them in front
against Germany, although the world number nine had to come back
from 2-1 down against Davis Cup newcomer Andreas Beck.
In sweltering conditions on the clay at the bull ring in
Marbella, an efficient Philipp Kohlschreiber then brushed aside
Tommy Robredo in straight sets to make it 1-1.
"I really played a very good game today with perfect
tactics," said Kohlschreiber, who had never beaten Robredo in
four previous meetings.
"I played maybe a little bit more aggressive and I moved him
very well and waited for the short ball," he added. "I never
missed a forehand in the whole match and that was really the key
today."
The winner of the Spain-Germany tie will play Israel or
Russia for a place in the final with the U.S. or Croatia taking
on Argentina or the Czech Republic.
(Writing by Iain Rogers in Madrid, editing by Ken Ferris; To
query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
