DUESSELDORF, Germany -- After rain forced the World Team Tennis championships inside Wednesday, Britain beat Germany when Lars Burgsmuller had to retire from the doubles match because of pulled muscles in his back.

The countries were tied after splitting the singles matches, and the British team of Martin Lee and Miles Maclagan won the first set 6-3 over Burgsmuller and Nicolas Kiefer.

But at 2-1 in the second, Burgsmuller, who earlier kept Germany alive in the match by beating Lee in singles, couldn't continue.

Burgsmuller and Lee's match began indoors, but rain forced play to be moved inside the Dusseldorf Ice Hockey Stadium.

It is the first time since 1996 that the tournament had to be moved to an indoor clay court because of rain.

Tim Henman gave Britain a 1-0 lead by beating Nicolas Kiefer 7-6 (6), 6-3. Burgsmuller then tied it 1-1 with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Lee.

Russia, last year's runner-up to Australia, beat Spain 2-1.

Marat Safin beat Spaniard Alex Corretja 6-4, 6-4, but Albert Costa evened the match by defeating Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-3, 7-6 (6).

Safin, the 2000 U.S. Open champion, improved his career record against former French Open finalist Corretja to 4-1 with the victory.

Kafelnikov and Safin then beat Costa and Corretja 6-7 (1), 6-3, 10-5 to win the match.