The other finalist will be decided on Friday between
Germany, Serbia, Russia and Spain.
Juan Monaco started off Argentina by defeating Mardy Fish
7-6 (4), 7-5, then Juan Ignacio Chela beat John Isner 6-1, 7-6 (1) for an
unassailable 2-0 lead in the best-of-three tie.
Fish held opportunities in each set, but Monaco was able to
hold off the challenge.
In the opening set, Fish immediately recovered a break to
level at 3-3 and then held four set points at 5-4.
In the second set and following four successive breaks of
serve, Fish held two break points to lead 4-3 and another to lead 6-5, before
Monaco broke for the match and claimed victory on his third match point.
“I had set points in the first set and obviously a lot of
chances in the second so it's just a match that didn't go my way,” Fish said.
“Playing someone like Monaco on clay is always going to be a
tough test. But I've played two singles matches, two doubles matches, and it's
great preparation for the French (Open which starts on Sunday).” Isner never
looked comfortable against Chela in the opening set and he faced an uphill task
after dropping his serve as early as the third game. Further breaks for 4-1 and
6-1 followed.
Isner offered greater resistance in the second set and he
held break point at 3-3 and 4-4, but managed to salvage just one point in the
tiebreaker.
The winner of the Blue Group will be decided on Friday, with
four teams still in contention.
With a singles and a doubles to be played by each team,
Germany and Serbia enter the final day of the round robin with 1-0 leads.
Philipp Petzschner put Germany ahead with a 6-2, 6-4 win
over Russia's Igor Andreev, and Serbia held an advantage over Spain after
Viktor Troicki beat Marcel Granollers 6-4, 6-4.
