Gothenburg: Andy Roddick beat Jonas Bjorkman in straight sets on Sunday to take the US to a Davis Cup final versus Russia (as reported in Monday’s Late City edition).

Doubles specialist Bjorkman put in a brave performance but never threatened the world No. 5 who fired 16 aces to win 6-2, 7-6, 6-4.The win provided an unassailable lead for the Americans, who went on to make it 4-1 when James Blake defeated Simon Aspelin 6-1, 6-3 in the fifth rubber.

The US will host Russia after the defending champions beat Germany in the other semi-final 3-2. The US have not won the Davis Cup since 1995 when they beat Russia.

In significant results, Australia and Switzerland dropped out of the World Group for the first time in more than a decade after they were beaten in their play-off ties on Sunday.

The presence of world No. 1 Roger Federer could not prevent the Swiss team suffering a 2-3 defeat at the hands of the Czech Republic, while 28-time champions Australia were outclassed 1-4 by Serbia.

Federer drew level for Switzerland with a 7-6, 7-6, 6-3 win over Tomas Berdych but Radek Stepanek clinched the tie for the Czechs with a 7-6, 6-3, 7-6 defeat of Stanislas Wawrinka.

In Moscow, it was Igor Andreev who powered Russia to their second successive Cup final by beating Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 in the fifth and deciding rubber on Sunday.

Earlier, world No. 17 Mikhail Youzhny beat 206th-ranked Philipp Petzschner 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to pull the home team level at 2-2. It was Russia’s 14th consecutive home victory, dating back to the 1995 final when they lost to the US.

       (Reuters)