Youzhny is Davis Cup hero for Russia.

(From Agence France Presse)

In the most dramatic final showdown imaginable Russian stand-in Mikhail Youzhny won his country their first ever Davis Cup, beating Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu in a five-set contest which gave the Russians a 3-2 overall success.

In a Bercy stadium filled almost to bursting Mathieu looked to be on his way to victory after steaming through the first two sets against a man who was drafted in to replace veteran Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

But in a battle of 20-year-olds, it was Youzhny who suddenly found his form to level the contest after a frenetic fourth set and then snatch the fifth to deny France a fourth Cup in 12 years with a 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 win in 4hr 26min.

"I was on really good form," said Youzhny. "Even when I was two sets down I knew I should just keep playing my game."

The baying crowd screamed for "Paulo" here, and "Misha" there and both men at times played with the abandon and impetuosity their youth demands.

But Mathieu, who played the first Davis Cup rubber of his career on Friday when he lost to Marat Safin, failed to last the pace and Youzhny grabbed the spoils and a slice of history.