BUENOS AIRES -- Argentine tennis will face its biggest challenge this weekend as it tries to end a curse that has lasted almost a century. Being the sports dominant force, one that has churned out several top-10 players and Grand Slam winners, hasnt been enough. Argentinas most coveted win has yet to come; its one that requires a collective effort, the Davis Cup in Croatia.Only 14 countries have lifted the trophy since it was first played in 1900. In 93 years of competition, Argentine tennis has the dubious distinction as being the country with the most appearances in a final (four) with no titles.It is the biggest thorn in the side of Argentine sports, especially with its failure to deliver made worse by its lack of team spirit.The story of the first lost final can actually be traced back to 1980, when Argentina let a semifinal rubber slip away in Buenos Aires against eventual champion Czechoslovakia, which was led by emerging Ivan Lendl. Argentina had two of the best players on clay at the time, Guillermo Vilas and Jose Luis Clerc. But they were on really bad terms with each other and also with the Argentine Tennis Association. The team lost focus, and a golden chance was missed.Despite their differences, Vilas and Clerc (who were not speaking to each other) teamed up again in 1981 and made it all the way to the final on a fast carpet in Cincinnati against the United States. John McEnroe was world No. 1 in singles and doubles (with Peter Fleming), while Roscoe Tanner, who at the time was one of the most powerful servers, played second singles for what looked like an almost unbeatable combination.On the middle Saturday, with the series evened at 1-1, Vilas and Clerc barely communicated during the crucial doubles encounter, to the dismay of captain Carlos Junquet. Yet they almost pulled off a miracle, leading 7-6 in the decisive fifth set and Vilas serving. But McEnroe and Fleming broke and finally took the match 11-9. The next day, McEnroe battled past Clerc in five sets to clinch the victory, 3-1.Twenty-five years later, in 2006, Argentina made another final, this time away against Russia. After a decade out of the World Group, the Argentine legion was at its best. David Nalbandian scored impressive victories against Marat Safin and Nikolay Davydenko, but it was not enough to prevent a 3-2 victory by the Russian team.Two years later, Argentina could have ended the jinx in what was its best chance -- a final at home against Spain, which was without Rafael Nadal. Fear of what Rafa and his teammates were capable of on clay -- and with internal quarrels between players and officials -- Argentina decided to forgo the traditional Buenos Aires slow surfaces for faster hard courts. The decision proved to be disastrous.The tie got off to a promising start, with Nalbandian thrashing David Ferrer for a 1-0 lead. But Juan Martin del Potro, suffered from a leg injury, fell to Feliciano Lopez. If Nalbandian and Delpo were already did not seeing eye to eye, things deteriorated even more when the former accused del Potro, fresh off an appearance in his first Masters Cup, of overplaying, thus resulting in his health ailments and jeopardizing Argentinas chances for individual glory and money.The next day, Nalbandian joined Calleri in trying to secure the doubles, but instead lost to Lopez and Fernando Verdasco. Nalbandian then stormed out of the stadium without going to his news conference. To make matters worse, Captain Alberto Mancini then confirmed del Potro would not be fit for Sunday.Nalbandian knew he would never have the chance to play a starring role and end the curse. He was frustrated, just like the thousands who had packed the stadium during the three days believing they would witnesses a whitewash -- but instead left in tears. There would be another opportunity in 2011, with Nalbandian and del Potro again leaving aside their differences on their way to a final against Spain in Seville. Nalbandian, this time teaming with Eduardo Schwank, would gain revenge in the doubles against Lopez and Verdasco, but Delpo, despite putting up a great performance, lost against two of the best clay players in the world, Ferrer and Nadal, who led Spain to the easy victory.Still, with so many chances squandered, there is reason for Argentina to be confident ahead of the clash in Zagreb this weekend. The team was never a favorite (even when del Potro came back healthy) but still managed to make its way to the final playing all its previous rounds on the road. Argentina has never lost a tie against Croatia.But in order to make the dream finally come true, Argentina will require more than its best tennis. If the squad has learned anything, some of the spirit it lacked at key moments in the past is there this season. 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SEATTLE -- For the first time in a month, the Seattle Mariners offense that helped lift them back into playoff contention went absent and on a day Hisashi Iwakuma was far from his best.Rookie Gary Sanchez kept up his torrid stretch with his seventh home run in the past nine games, and Masahiro Tanaka won his fourth straight start, leading the New York Yankees to a 5-0 victory over the Mariners on Wednesday.Tanaka (11-4) threw seven innings and got the better of the Mariners and Iwakuma, his former Japan league teammate. Seattle was shut out for the first time since July 24 and for just the fifth time all season, missing out on chances early to get to Tanaka.They pitched us well all series, Seattle manager Scott Servais said. We havent been shut down like that in quite some time.While the Mariners were silent, Sanchez continued to slug his way into the record books. Sanchez homered into the second deck in left field in the first inning on the first pitch from Iwakuma, his ninth home run in 18 games since joining the Yankees lineup on Aug. 3.Sanchez added a double later in the game and his intentional walk in the seventh inning led to Mark Teixeiras RBI single for a 4-0 lead. The Mariners took no chances with the new catcher the next time, either, again intentionally walking him.Hes earned it. He did a lot of damage against us, Servais said. Its not just the damage, its how hes doing it, hitting the ball out of the park. Hes a good looking player.Iwakuma (14-9) lost his second straight start despite giving up just three earned runs. It was the second time he matched up with Tanaka and 13th time in major league history two Japanese pitchers met. Tanaka also got the victory in April when the two met at Yankee Stadium.Sanchez got the Yankees started, but Iwakuma was not sharp with his command. Managing to get through six innings and save some arms in the bullpen was little consolation for Iwakuma.The first inning wasnt good giving up the lead early, Iwakuma said through an interpreter. Solo home run, not a good start. I was able to pitch with tolerance and pitch with patience, and I got through six, so Im happy about ddoing the least that a starting pitcher could do.dddddddddddd.Tanaka was shaky early, escaping jams in the second and third innings before rolling the rest of the way. He followed up 7 2/3 shutout innings in his last start against the Angels by keeping Seattle off the scoreboard, allowing six hits and striking out five.Tanaka did issue his first base on balls since July 27 when he walked Seth Smith in the third inning, and snapped his streak of three consecutive starts with at least eight strikeouts and no walks.After Ketel Marte bunted for a single with one out in the fifth, Tanaka retired his final eight batters.Dellin Betances got the final out of the eighth and pitched the ninth for his sixth save.Seattles best scoring chance came in the second inning when Leonys Martin missed a two-run homer by inches, settling for a line drive single off the top of the fence in right field and advanced Adam Lind to third base. Tanaka got two groundouts to end the threat.He had to really battle early on, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. His stuff really got good to me in the fourth inning is when he really seemed to settle in.CRUZ WATCHNelson Cruz was lifted for a pinch-hitter late in the loss due to back spasms. Cruz said the back was bothering him in Tuesdays loss but he tried to play through it. He is hopeful of being in the lineup Thursday.TRAINERS ROOMYankees: C Brian McCann was given the day off after catching Tuesdays game. It was the first game McCann caught since Aug. 12 and just the second since Aug. 4.Mariners: 3B Kyle Seager was out of the lineup after fouling a ball off his right foot in Tuesdays game. Initial X-rays were negative and Servais said after the game it was just a foot bruise.UP NEXTYankees: New York has a day off on Thursday before opening a series at home on Friday against Baltimore.Mariners: Seattle opens a seven-game road trip on Thursday at the White Sox. James Paxton is expected to be activated off the DL to start the opener, although the move has not been announced. 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