The go-to guys -- well, go-to twins -- came through for the United States again.
Brothers Mike and Bob Bryan, the premier doubles team of this generation, made sure that the final day of the U.S.-Spain Davis Cup semifinal will actually mean something.
The Bryans defeated the injury-riddled team of Marc Lopez and Marcel Granollers , 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, in 3 hours 38 minutes on Saturday in Gijon, Spain, outdoors on clay. This cut Spain's lead to 2-1 in the Davis Cup tie.
Granollers was hampered by an injured left calf and missed a couple of key volleys in the final game of the match. Lopez double-faulted on match point. The Bryans were six of 22 on break-point opportunities.
"They're pretty good in the clutch," U.S. Davis Cup captain Jim Courier said in his on-court TV interview after the match. "They get us to Sunday when we're in this position every time."
The Bryans are 20-2 together in Davis Cup competition.
Sunday is the reverse singles: John Isner of the U.S. vs. David Ferrer of Spain followed by American Sam Querrey vs. Nicolas Almagro.
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