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PAU, France (AP) - France stayed alive in its Davis Cup quarterfinal against Russia on Saturday, with Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement beating Dmitry Tursunov and Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 5-7, 6-2 in doubles.
The French trail Russia 2-1 in the best-of-five series. To defeat Russia for the first time since 1983, France must win both of Sunday's reverse singles — against two-time major winner Marat Safin and 2005 French Open semifinalist Nikolay Davydenko.
France has lost the previous two meetings against Russia, at the quarterfinals last year in Moscow and the Davis Cup final at Bercy in 2002, when France blew a two-set lead in the deciding match. France last overturned a 2-0 deficit in 1996 against Italy.
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