SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) - The United States is one victory from a showdown with Spain in the Davis Cup quarterfinals.
Twins Bob and Mike Bryan put the Americans ahead of Chile 2-1 in the first round Saturday by beating the doubles team of Jorge Aguilar and Nicolas Massu 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (4).
Andy Roddick, playing Davis Cup for the first time since 2009, will be in position to clinch the best-of-five series when he faces Paul Capdeville in the first match today.
Jim Courier, debuting this weekend as U.S. Davis Cup captain, is not thinking about a July date with Spain, which eliminated Belgium 3-0. Courier played on winning Davis Cup teams in 1992 and 1995 and wants to get the job done first in Santiago.
"We're two-thirds of the way there, but nothing is taken for granted," he said. "We have to come ready to win the last point. That has to be our approach as boring and simple as it is."
Roddick, who led the U.S. to the 2007 Davis Cup title, is 11-0 when in position to clinch a Davis Cup. In the second singles, the Americans send John Isner against Massu.
"We hope that I can play the final point," Massu said.
In the opening match Friday, Roddick beat Massu 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, and Isner squandered a two-sets lead in losing to Capdeville 6-7, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4.
Elsewhere in the first round of the World Group, Argentina (over Romania) and Sweden (over Russia) also advanced to the quarters on 3-0 victories. Ahead 2-1 were France (over Austria), Germany (over Croatia), Serbia (over India) and the Czech Republic (over Kazakhstan).
The Bryans, the No. 1 doubles team, are 17-2 when playing Davis Cup doubles together and 10-0 when playing Davis Cup doubles away from home.
