DAVIS CUP: GAME OVER: RODDICK CLOSES THE SHOW FOR U.S. WIN SENDS AMERICANS TO SEMIFINALS VS. RUSSIA.

Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer

RANCHO MIRAGE - As the celebration on the stadium court simmered down, Metallica's "Enter Sandman" blared over the loudspeakers at Mission Hills Country Club.

The song, to which New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera takes the field, served as a fitting tribute to Andy Roddick, who has become a shut-down closer for the United States in Davis Cup play.

Roddick improved to 7-0 when given a chance to clinch a Davis Cup round by coming back from a set down Sunday to defeat Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.

The win gave the U.S. its third point in a best-of-five competition, advancing the team to face Russia in the semifinals in September.

"I don't care if I win another match the rest of the year as long as we can hold up that cup," Roddick said. "This was just my turn. James (Blake), he helped us get to the second round. I helped us get to the third round."

Roddick has struggled this year, not getting past the semifinals in any tournament, but he played well when it mattered most to his country.

Playing on his favorite surface - grass - Roddick helped lift Blake, who lost Friday against Gonzalez and again Sunday in the late match to Paul Capdeville to make the final margin 3-2.

Roddick was at his most efficient against Gonzalez, racking up 50 winners to just 17 unforced errors. He had 14aces.

"There's been a lot of frustrating moments so far this year," Roddick said. "To come through for myself and my team, it feels good. It feels like all the work I've been putting in is paying off a little bit, even if it's just for a weekend."

Hans Gildemeister, the Chile captain, said Saturday the pressure would be on the Americans on Sunday because they were the favorites.

If it wasn't already, Gonzalez came out and put the pressure on Roddick in the first set. Gonzalez broke in the third game with a huge crosscourt forehand return that left Roddick helpless. Gonzalez never faced a break point in closing out the set.

Roddick didn't get his first break point of the match until the 12th game of the second set. Up 6-5 with Gonzalez serving to force a tiebreak, Roddick attacked the net on the first point and won on a nice backhand volley. Gonzalez's frustration with the match began on the next point, when his shot was called wide late. He challenged the point with the chair umpire, but it was not overturned.

Roddick went up 40-15 and won the set on his second break point when Gonzalez's backhand went off the net and landed wide.

Gonzalez fought back from an early break in the third set to get back on serve down 4-3, when two more questionable calls helped turn the match in Roddick's favor.

At 15-15, Gonzalez didn't try to reach a Roddick forehand he thought was wide, only to have it called good. He threw his racket to the ground. At 30-30, Gonzalez again argued against a Roddick forehand winner that replays clearly showed was out.

Roddick took advantage of the break point when Gonzalez hit a forehand long, then served out the set. Roddick broke in the opening game of the fourth set and cruised the rest of the way.

He took a victory lap around the court, waving an American flag to Neil Diamond's "America."

Including qualifiers for the World Group, Roddick has clinched a round in Davis Cup every year since 2001. He also had the deciding win against Romania in the first round in February.

"I feel like that's just a coincidence because I always play the first match on the second day, and, more often than not, we have the lead on the second day. But it feels good. I hope I can keep it going."

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Andy Roddick serves to Chile's Fernando Gonzalez during their Davis Cup quarterfinals tennis match Sunday at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage.

Chris Carlson/Associated Press