Blake, Roddick gives U.S. 2-0 lead v France

By Sandra Harwitt

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (Reuters) - James Blake fought off two match points to beat Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6 6-7 6-3 3-6 7-5 and lifted the U.S. to a 2-0 lead over France in their Davis Cup quarter-final tie on Friday.

Earlier in the day, Andy Roddick gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead in a close 6-4 7-6 7-6 victory over Michael Llodra at the Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum.

Blake fought off the match points in the three-hour, 48 minute marathon when Mathieu was serving at 5-4 in the fifth set.

The American then took advantage of his second match point opportunity in the 12th game on a netted forehand to give the hosts a comfortable lead heading into Saturday's doubles.

"I got down 5-4, but I never wanted to feel out of it," Blake told reporters. "He was serving very well, but funny things can happen when you're serving for a match, especially in Davis Cup.

"I did my best to make sure he knew he wasn't going to get a free game out of it, he was going to have to earn it."

Mathieu was disappointed he had not leveled the tie.

"We played for like four hours and I don't think we had differences today," said Mathieu.