SIBIU, Romania(AP) Marat Safin and Mikhail Youzhny won their singles matches Friday to give Russia a 2-0 lead over Romania in their Davis Cup matchup.
Safin defeated Victor Crivoi 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4 in the opening singles match and Youzhny extended Russia's lead by beating Victor Hanescu 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
It was Romania's first Davis Cup match under new captain Andrei Pavel.
Russia won the Davis Cup in 2006, then lost the final to the United States the next year. Romania has never won the tournament.
Romania reached the Davis Cup final in 1969, 1971 and 1972, losing to the U.S. on all three occasions. Along with Argentina and India, it shares the record for most appearances in the final without a victory.