Great Britain
will have to get the point they require in Sunday's singles after the USA kept
their Davis Cup World Group hopes alive in the doubles.
Bob and Mike Bryan beat Colin Fleming and Dom Inglot 6-2 6-3 3-6 6-1 on the San Diego clay to leave Britain 2-1 in front going into the final day.
Wimbledon champion Andy Murray was rested from the doubles ahead of taking on Sam Querrey on Sunday.
Britain have not beaten the USA in the Davis Cup since 1935.
The prospects of ending that barren run remain good, with Murray a strong favourite against world number 45 Querrey, who suffered a shattering five-set defeat by James Ward on Friday.
Should Querrey cause a major upset, team-mate Donald Young will go up against Ward in a decisive fifth rubber.
"A team that has won 15 Grand Slam titles was always likely to be more than a
match for the scratch British pairing. Inglot started very nervously on his
debut, but after a strong recovery the Brits could have tested the Bryans'
reserve still further if their volleying had been sharper. But with Andy Murray
facing Sam Querrey in Sunday's first singles, the US go into the final day more
in hope than expectation."
Great Britain's Davis Cup captain Leon Smith is
confident they can secure the one victory needed.
"To go into the final day 2-1 up is certainly a great position to be in," he told BBC Sport.
"It puts us in the driving seat with two rubbers to go and a great chance in both of those to get a win."
Britain's hopes of securing an unassailable 3-0 lead in the doubles ended with a convincing defeat by the Bryans, the world number one pairing.
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