Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian and Gaston Gaudio gave Argentina a 2-0 lead over defending champion Russia Friday in the Davis Cup quarterfinals.
Spain and Australia also swept the first day of the best-of-five quarterfinals while Switzerland and France split their two matches.
In the first match in Buenos Aires, Nalbandian overcame a rain delay to defeat Nikolay Davydenko, 6-2, 6-2, 7-5. Davydenko replaced Russia's No. 1 player, Marat Safin, who aggravated an ankle injury in practice.
Gaudio routed Yevgeny Kafelnikov, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2, in the second singles match to avenge his only loss in last year's semifinal, which was won by Russia in Moscow.
"I was very consistent and I played very well today, except for maybe two games," Gaudio said. "I didn't think at all about the match in Moscow. The most important thing was to give Argentina another point."
On Saturday, Nalbandian and Lucas Arnold face Kafelnikov and Safin in doubles.
At home in Valencia, Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero beat Croatia's Mario Ancic, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7-1), and Carlos Moya rallied for a 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Ivan Ljubicic.
"Winning the Davis Cup is my great objective," Moya said. "I'm the only one in the team to have never won it."
Ferrero felt the local fans helped Spain move within one win of a semifinal berth.
"It's always special, and the truth is it gave me goosebumps," he said. "The fans were excellent. It would have hurt to have lost at home, but that didn't happen."
Albert Costa and Alex Corretja will try to complete the victory Saturday against Ljubicic and Lovro Zovko.
Aussie Lleyton Hewitt fought off a determined challenge from Thomas Enqvist to give Australia a 2-0 lead at the end of the first day of its quarterfinal in Malmo, Sweden.
The world No. 1 followed teammate Mark Philippoussis' 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win over Jonas Bjorkman with a 6-4, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Enqvist.
Bjorkman and Enqvist must win Saturday's doubles against Wayne Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge to keep Sweden's slim chances alive in the tie.
Sweden has beaten Australia in two previous ties on home soil, but the Aussies have prevailed in six of their eight encounters.
In Toulouse, France, Roger Federer beat Nicolas Escude, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2, to give Switzerland a 1-1 split after the first day of its tie against France.
Escude, ranked 62nd in the world, had won his three previous matches against Federer but was powerless this time round.
Sebastien Grosjean had given France the perfect start with his 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over George Bastl.
Federer and Marc Rosset take on French doubles squad Michael Llodra and Fabrice Santoro on Saturday.
