Israel beats Russia 3-0 at Davis Cup

TEL AVIV, Israel, July 11 (UPI) -- The team of Andy Ram and Jonathan Ehrlich won their doubles match in five sets Saturday, leading Israel to its first ever Davis Cup semifinal.

Ram and Ehrlich beat Igor Kunitsyn and Marat Safin 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 4-6, 6-4 in a dramatic match at Tel Aviv's Nokia Stadium, giving Israel a 3-0 win over Russia and making Sunday's two scheduled singles matches unnecessary.

"I actually can't describe how I feel," team captain Eyal Ran said after his team, including singles players Harel Levy and Dudi Sela, made men's tennis history. "I am so proud to be an Israeli today, to be a part of this team. I felt throughout the match that (we) were the better players."

Russia had beaten Israel in 1984 in the only other Davis Cup meeting between the two countries.

Israel next faces either Spain or Germany in September's semifinals.