Australia And France On Course For Davis Cup Final.

Australia and France, former champions both, steered themselves toward the Davis Cup final by sweeping the opening singles of their semifinals Friday Davis Cup debutante Wayne Arthurs was the hero in Brisbane as he defeated world No. 2 Yevgeny Kafelnikov to take Australia to a 2-0 lead over Russia. Arthurs was pressed into service for Australia due to injuries to Patrick Rafter and Mark Philippoussis. Sebastien Grosjean, another relative newcomer with only one previous Davis Cup appearance behind him, put France ahead against Belgium with a straight-sets victory over Xavier Malisse in Pau. Arthurs declared his 6-2, 6-7, 6-2, 6-0 win over Kafelnikov his finest moment. ``This is the biggest day of my life,' said Arthurs, at 28 the oldest Australian Davis Cup debutante in 86 years. Australian Open champion Kafelnikov was far less happy, angrily dismissing the Brisbane grass court as a ``potato field.' Teenager Lleyton Hewitt, who made his Davis Cup debut in July_s quarterfinal win over the United States, had earlier beaten Marat Safin 7-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. Sandon Stolle and Mark Woodforde can wrap up the tie for Australia, who have won the Cup 26 times, with a win in Saturday_s doubles against Kafelnikov and Andrei Olhovsky. France_s Cedric Pioline, the recent U.S. Open semifinalist, needed five sets to beat Belgian Filip Dewulf 6-3, 5-7, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in Friday_s second singles, after Grosjean had put the hosts ahead with his 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 victory. Once again, the visiting side was unhappy with the choice of surface, complaining that the indoor court was too fast for their liking. France, who will have the choice of venue if they advance to a final against Australia, are favored in Saturday_s doubles when Fabrice Santoro and Olivier Delaitre meet Belgium_s Malisse and Christophe Van Garsse.