Davis Cup final tied at 1-1

MOSCOW – Marat Safin was angry with himself, puzzled by the choice of court surface and frustrated at his inability to put Russia in command on opening day of the Davis Cup final.

With his aces offset by his double-faults, Safin lost to David Nalbandian 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 Friday, leaving Argentina and Russia tied 1-1 in the best-of-5 showdown. Nikolay Davydenko beat Juan Ignacio Chela 6-1, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in the opening match, his first victory in six meetings against the Argentine.

In today’s doubles, Dmitry Tursunov and Mikhail Youzhny play Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri. In Sunday’s decisive reverse singles, the captains can change lineups up to an hour before play.

“I feel I’m playing very well,” said Nalbandian, who got a boost from an enthusiastic contingent of Argentine fans that featured soccer great Diego Maradona.

Nalbandian broke in the first game when Safin double-faulted after four aces and a flurry of deuces, setting a pattern. Safin had 21 aces but seven double-faults – several at key moments.

He blamed the court’s indoor carpet – selected by Russia coach Shamil Tarpishchev – and said the surface suited Nalbandian “perfectly.”

“It was hard to find my game,” Safin said. “It was hard to play my tennis on this surface.”

Russia, unbeaten in Davis Cup play at home in 11 years, is making its fourth appearance in the final and looking for its second title win after winning in France in 2002. Argentina has never won the trophy, losing to the United States in its only final appearance in 1981.

With former Russian president Boris Yeltsin in attendance, Davydenko was playing at the venue where he won the Kremlin Cup in October. He overcame a shaky start in his early service games to win the first two sets before a third-set stumble.

“The final, at home – how could I not be nervous?” Davydenko said. “I lost the third set because I made so many mistakes. In the fourth set, I made fewer and played well.”

Safin predicted Davydenko would find it difficult to beat Nalbandian on this surface, but stressed he was not blaming Tarpishchev for choosing it. Safin also apologized to the coach for what appeared to be heated words on the sidelines.