September 25, 2007	Tuesday	Ramazan 12, 1428

GOTHENBURG (Sweden), Sept 24: Andy Roddick beat Jonas Bjorkman in straight sets on Sunday to take the United States to the Davis Cup final.

Doubles specialist Bjorkman, a last minute replacement for Thomas Johansson, who was ill, put in a brave performance but never threatened the world number five who fired 16 aces to win 6-2, 7-6, 6-4.

The win provided an unassailable lead for the Americans, who went on to make it 4-1 when James Blake defeated Simon Aspelin 6-1, 6-3 in the fifth rubber.

The US will host the final against Russia after the defending champions beat Germany in the other semi-final 3-2.

Clearly more at ease on the fast indoor carpet surface of the Scandinavium arena, Roddick broke Bjorkman twice in the first set to clinch it 6-2.

The Swede raised his game in the next set, winning points with his volleying and matching the American all the way to the tiebreak. His tennis let him down there, however and he allowed Roddick to break him twice for a 3-0 lead.

The American had no problems holding his own serve and broke the Swede once again to 7-3 to take the tiebreak and the second set.

One break of serve was enough for Roddick to take the third set.

The United States have not won the Davis Cup since 1995 when they beat Russia in the final.

Sweden’s loss of Thomas Johansson who had a stomach bug was not their first bout of bad luck.

Last week their top-ranked player Robin Soderling pulled out with a wrist injury. The indoor surface with its extremely low bounce had been picked specifically to suit Soderling’s style of play.

Meanwhile, in Moscow, Igor Andreev powered Russia to their second successive Davis Cup final by beating Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 in the fifth and deciding rubber, giving the champions a 3-2 win over Germany.

In the final, Russia will face the United States after they beat Sweden in the other semi-final in Gothenburg.

Earlier, world number 17 Mikhail Youzhny beat 206th-ranked Philipp Petzschner 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the first reverse singles to pull the home team level at 2-2.

It was Russia’s 14th consecutive home victory, dating back to the 1995 final when they lost to the US.—Agencies