Nalbandian overpowered Nikolay Davydenko 6-2 6-2 4-6 6-4 in the first reverse singles of the Davis Cup final against Russia.
MOSCOW: Argentina's David Nalbandian overpowered Nikolay Davydenko 6-2 6-2 4-6 6-4 in the first reverse singles of the Davis Cup final against Russia on Sunday to keep alive his team's chances of winning their first title.
Nalbandian's victory pulled Argentina level at 2-2 in the three-day tie at Moscow's Olympic arena and set the stage for a decisive fifth rubber.
The Argentine number one, who crushed former world number one Marat Safin in straight sets on Friday, broke Davydenko twice to take the first set, then repeated the feat in the second, breaking the world number three in the fourth and eighth games to build up a two-set lead.
The Russian finally found a chink in Nalbandian's armour in the ninth game of the third set to break for a 5-4 lead, then saved two break points in the next game to force a fourth set.
It was only a temporary reprieve as Nalbandian earned a decisive break in the 10th game to clinch the match on his second attempt to the wild cheers of several hundred vocal Argentine supporters, including former soccer World Cup-winning captain Diego Maradona.
"I played very well today, both tactically and mentally," a confident Nalbandian told reporters.
"Maybe in the third set I didn't play as good as in the first two and also he started to play a little better too," added the world number eight.
"But I felt like I was always in control of the match and I lost the third set only by mistakes."
Davydenko agreed. "To be honest, I was ready to lose in three sets," he said.
"It was 6-2 6-2 and not much you could hope for but then in the third set, suddenly he started missing with his forehand -- his best shot -- and allowed me to get back into the match," said the Russian.
"But even if I won the fourth, I don't think I could have lasted much longer. Also, when I stepped on the court today I felt very tight and I even started wondering how would I play tennis at all," he added.
Safin was playing Jose Acasuso, who replaced Juan Ignacio Chela in the Argentine line-up, in the decider later on Sunday. The 33rd-ranked Chela, a surprise choice of Argentina captain Alberto Mancini on day one ahead of the higher ranked Acasuso, was beaten in four sets by Davydenko in Friday's opener.
Russia are aiming to win their second Davis Cup title, following their triumph in 2002.
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