WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- James Blake and Andy Roddick won singles matches Friday to give the United States a 2-0 lead over India in their Davis Cup World Group qualifier.

The 21-year-old Blake knocked off Leander Paes 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 after the 19-year-old Roddick served 15 aces in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 victory over Harsh Mankad.

The United States needs just one more victory this weekend at the Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum to advance to next year's 16-team World Group.

"What's exciting about this whole tie is seeing these guys step up and not only win, but win with the composure they showed," U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe said.

Wimbledon doubles champions Don Johnson and Jared Palmer will play French Open champions Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi on Saturday. The reverse singles matches are Sunday.

In a prematch ceremony, India captain Ramesh Krishnan led the crowd in a moment of silence, calling for a "prayer for peace" following last month's terrorist attacks. McEnroe wore New York City fire and police department hats during the matches.

Blake, picked by McEnroe to play No. 2 singles over Todd Martin, fought off nerves to win his first Davis Cup match.

"My stomach was a little queasy at first, but I managed to get through it and from then on felt really great on the court," said Blake, the first Harvard product to play Davis Cup since 1926.

Roddick, a U.S. Open quarterfinalist last month and ranked 15th in the world, never lost his serve.

"I had never played him before, and I didn't know what to expect," Mankad said. "I figured out the pace of his serve, but he places it so well."

The 21-year-old Mankad, a junior at the University of Minnesota, dropped to 0-4 in Davis Cup play.

Roddick appeared overanxious at the beginning of his first meaningful Davis Cup match, wasting two break-point chances in the first set before taking control. He broke Mankad three times in the final set.

"I don't get nervous, it was more emotional," Roddick said. "I was getting goosebumps during the speeches and the national anthem before the match. I tried not to overplay, but then I didn't hit the ball as well as I should."

A group of fans painted in red, white and blue shouted the number of Roddick's aces after each one.

"The spectators were keyed up, I think part of it was playing in a smaller venue here," Krishnan said.

Paes double-faulted on break point at 5-5 in the first set, and was broken after going up 2-0 and 40-0 in the third game of the second set.

"That was the turning point of the match," Blake said. "When I broke back and told him I wasn't going away."