Australia out, holders Russia hang in

Perennial Davis Cup protagonists Australia were upset 3-2 by Belgium while holders Russia clung to their crown in the first round yesterday.

Belgium beat the Australians for the first time to reach the April quarter-finals along with Russia, 3-2 winners in Chile, the US, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and 2006 runners-up Argentina.

All eight ties were not decided until yesterday's reverse singles after they went into the final day for the first time since the world group was introduced in 1981.

Six nations, however, won with a rubber to spare, taking unassailable 3-1 leads by winning the first reverse singles, leaving only Australia and Russia to go the distance with a different fate for each.

Germany await the Belgians after Kristof Vliegen followed up his surprise five-set win over former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt on Friday. Hewitt defeated Olivier Rochus 6-2 6-3 6-7 3-6 6-1 earlier yesterday to leave the teams level at 2-2 and send the tie down to the wire. Vliegen then overcame Chris Guccione 6-4 6-4 6-4.

Russia beat Chile in a hostile environment in La Serena when Igor Andreev beat Nicolas Massu 6-2 6-1 6-7 6-4 in the final rubber after Fernando Gonzalez had thrown the home team a lifeline with his three-set win over Marat Safin.

The Russians, who have won the trophy twice since 2002, meet France, who went through when Richard Gasquet beat Andrei Pavel 6-3 6-2 7-5 in their tie against Romania at Clermont-Ferrand.

Andy Roddick came from one set down to beat Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych 4-6 6-3 6-2 7-6 and secure the US a place in the last eight at home against Spain.

Spain overcame Switzerland in similar fashion with Fernando Verdasco winning the first reverse singles 6-3 6-3 6-2 against rookie Stephane Bohli in Geneva.

By April, the Spanish should have world number two Rafael Nadal back on the team following his late pullout with a thigh muscle strain shortly before the start of Friday's opening rubber.

Tommy Haas sealed Germany's place with a crushing 6-2 7-6 6-4 victory over Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic, who after the match, announced he would retire from the Davis Cup.

Robin Soderling outlasted Max Mirnyi 6-7 7-5 6-7 7-6 6-3 in a four-hour marathon to clinch victory for Sweden against Belarus.