Argentina up 2-0 on Germany in Davis Cup

BAMBERG, Germany, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Juan Monaco and David Nalbandian gave Argentina a 2-0 lead over Germany Friday in the countries' best-of-five Davis Cup first-round series.

Argentina, last year's cup runner-up, is one victory away from moving into the quarterfinals in April against either Croatia or Japan. Those countries split their first two matches Friday.

Monaco sailed through a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win over Philipp Petzschner, winning 72 percent of the points on serve.

Nalbandian defeated Florian Mayer 2-6, 6-0, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) for the 2-0 lead. Nalbandian won two-thirds of the points in the second and third sets. He lost his serve twice in the first set and only once thereafter.

Argentina can seal the series with a win Saturday by the doubles team of Juan Ignacio Chela and Eduardo Schwank, who will play Petzschner and Tommy Haas.

Mayer opens Sunday's play against Monaco. with Petzschner called on to meet Nalbandian in the fifth match of the series.