Mardy Fish [ Images ] brought the United States level 1-1 with Slovakia in their World Group play-off on Friday after Andy Roddick's [ Images ] 19-match winning streak came to an abrupt halt on slow Slovak clay in the Davis Cup.

Roddick, less than two weeks after winning the U.S. Open, fell 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to Dominik Hrbaty in the opening singles before Fish, a late choice by captain Patrick McEnroe, rallied to beat Karol Kucera 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-1.

Spain take 2-0 lead over Argentina

Carlos Moya [ Images ] took advantage of an attack of cramp suffered by Argentina's Mariano Zabaleta on Friday to come from two sets down for a victory that took Spain to the brink of a place in the Davis Cup final.

Argentina, missing their top two singles players David Nalbandian [ Images ] and Guillermo Coria because of injury, needed something special in the World Group semi-final after Juan Carlos Ferrero [ Images ] had given Spain the lead with a dazzling 6-4, 6-0, 6-0 win over Gaston Gaudio.

For the first two sets, Zabaleta looked like providing it as he repeatedly hit the lines with a series of booming forehands to move into a seemingly commanding lead.

However, at 2-2 in the third, he required lengthy treatment for cramp and Moya met with virtually no resistance as he won 10 consecutive games to force a deciding set.

Zabaleta appeared to have made a slight recovery in the fifth was still unable to move about the court with any freedom and Moya completed a valuable 5-7, 2-6, 6-2, 6-0, 6-1 win to leave Spain just a point away from victory.

Spain now just need to win Saturday's doubles, or one of the two singles rubbers on Sunday, to reach a final against either Australia [ Images ] or Switzerland [ Images ], who were level at 1-1 at the end of the opening day's place in Melbourne [ Images ].

Spain beat Australia in the final in 2000 to win the Davis Cup for the first time.

Germany [ Images ], Belarus level 1-1

Germany and Belarus were  level at 1-1 after Friday's opening singles matches in their World Group Davis Cup playoff.

Tomas Behrend lost to Max Mirnyi [ Images ] 7-5, 6-2, 6-7 (6-8) 2-6, 4-6 Rainer Schuettler [ Images ] beat Vladimir Voltchkov  6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4

Britain on back foot in Davis cup

Morocco enjoyed a satisfying first day in their Davis Cup play-off against Britain as Hicham Arazi thumped Tim Henman [ Images ] and Younes El Aynaoui overcame Greg Rusedski [ Images ] in the opening singles matches.

In the playoff to determine who stays in the World Group, Arazi achieved a convincing victory 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 against British number one Henman on Friday.