PARIS (AFP) - Tommy Robredo and Rafael Nadal put Spain within sight of the Davis Cup final with a marathon 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 win over Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement to give their side a 2-1 semi-final lead.
Spain, playing on their favourite clay surface specially built inside the bullring at Alicante, need just one more point from Sunday's reverse singles to put them in the final where they are likely to face the United States who hold a 2-0 lead over Belarus.
Robredo and Nadal, playing together for the first time, clinched victory in three hours and 47 minutes against a makeshift French pairing which had seen Clement called in as a late replacement for Fabrice Santoro who had been injured losing his singles to Juan Carlos Ferrero.
That rubber had been held over from Friday and former French Open winner Ferrero wasted no time getting down to business, brushing aside Santoro.
He needed just 21 minutes to finish off the match 6-3, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 after it had been held over from Friday night because of failing light.
Paul-Henri Mathieu had given France the first point when he shocked Carlos Moya 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Friday.
Santoro blamed a left wrist injury picked up in play on Friday for his failure to fight back on Saturday.
"I picked up the injury yesterday at the beginning of the second set making a return of service," explained Santoro.
"Painkillers helped me get back into the third set but this morning I couldn't hold the racket. Even if I'd won the fourth set yesterday it wouldn't have made a difference. I couldn't have changed anything Saturday in the fifth."
The United States, winners on 31 occasions, are in control of their semi-final in Charleston after Andy Roddick eased past Vladimir Voltchkov 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 and sending down another world record serve of 155 mph for good measure.
Olympic silver medallist Mardy Fish had a longer day on court than Roddick, but worked his way to a 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win over Belarussian number one Max Mirnyi in two hours, 37 minutes.
In the World Group play-offs, which will determine the teams playing in the 16-team elite group next season, Australia opened up an unbeatable 3-0 lead over Morocco in Perth.
The doubles pairing of Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs, both aged 33, eventually proved too experienced for the determined Morrocan combination of Mounir El Aarej and Medhi Tahiri winning 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/2), 6-3.
On Friday, Australia had taken a 2-0 lead after Arthurs downed El Aarej and world number three Lleyton Hewitt defeated Tahiri in the opening singles rubbers.
Australian captain John Fitzgerald said he was happy to get through what could have been an awkward tie for his country.
"It's very pleasing and a bit of a relief," he said.
Russia will also be playing in the World Group in 2005 after Marat Safin and Mikhail Youzhny beat twins Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 for a 3-0 lead over Thailand.
"We don't have enough experience on this level," said Sonchat.
"It was our first match in the World Group Play-off, against a top ten team, and of course we were both nervous. Hopefully, we'll do better next time."
The Russian favourites had taken a commanding 2-0 lead on Friday after Igor Andreev and Safin scored easy straight-sets wins over Paradorn and Danai Udomchoke.
Former world number one Safin crushed Danai 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 in the second match to put the home team in complete control, after Andreev beat Thai number one Paradorn 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 in the opening singles rubber.
In Portschach, Austria and Great Britain were locked at 1-1.
As the light finally faded, the Austrian doubles pair of Alexander Peya and Julian Knowle led Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 and will resume hostilities on Sunday morning before the reverse singles start.
Earlier in the day, Rusedski beat Jurgen Melzer, the Austrian number one, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) after Tim Henman's swift and miserable 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 loss to Koubek at the start of the day.
Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic sealed Croatia's place in the World Group after a dramatic five-set doubles victory in their tie against Belgium in Rijeka.
The duo overcame Dick Norman and Kristof Vliegen 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-7 (1/7), 6-3, 7-5 in four hours 10 minutes to give their side a 3-0 winning lead.
Germany are one point away from a return to the World Gorup after Tommy Haas and Alexander Waske defeated Slovakia's home favourites Dominik Hrbaty and Karol Kucera 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 in Bratislava.
Canada defeated Romania in doubles to keep alive their chances in Bucharest. The Canadian pair of Daniel Nestor and Frederic Niemeyer defeated Victor Ionita and Florin Mergea 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 in two hours and 17 minutes.