The United States took a giant step yesterday toward regaining the Davis Cup and Clevelander Clark Graebner led the parade.

The former Lakewood and Northwestern University star swept past Spain's gallant but outplayed Juan Gisbert, 9-7, 6-3, 6-1, before a standing room crowd of 6,278 at sun-splashed Harold T. Clark Stadium.

Graebner's straight set victory gave the U.S. an insurmountable 3-1 lead in the best of five interzone semi-final tennis tie with the Spaniards.

ARTHUR ASHE MET MANUEL SANTANA in the fifth and final set yesterday -- but that match won't be concluded until this afternoon at 1:30 although it will have no bearing on the U.S. victory. It was called because of darkness with the score tied at two sets apiece, 11-13, 7-5, 6-3, 13-15, with Santana winning the first and fourth sets.

Santana, the splendid Spaniard, who is regarded as the world's greatest amateur player said this after the U.S. won the tie, "The United States should win the Cup now. It will be all downhill from here on."

THE UNITED STATES LAST HELD the Davis Cup in 1963 and Australia has been proprietor of the coveted cup ever since.

The U.S. team must now stand by while Japan plays India, September 21-23, in Tokyo for the Eastern zone crown. That winner will meet European zone-B titlist West Germany, in Munich sometime in October.

The U.S. team will meet the survivor in November in one of four places, San Juan, Puerto Rico, phoenix, Los Angeles or Honolulu. The Challenge round will be held in Australia in December.

Graebner, who was decisioned in straight sets by Santana on Friday and came back to team with Charles Pasarell for Saturday's doubles victory, simply wore out the 26-year-old Gisbert in a 77-degree temperature.

"He (Gisbert) got awfully tired after the first set and I thought then that I could take him," Clark said relaxing in the team's locker room in at Roxboro Junior High school.

"I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, but I think Gisbert played in doubles to give him experience at the net for his match today," Graebner added.

The Barcelonia attorney, who is well known for his base line style of play, charged the net a good part of the time yesterday.

Spain's captain Jamie Bartoli said he didn't think he played at the net enough but Graebner thought otherwise.

"I didn't anticipate him coming to the net so often and I was surprised he did. Everytime I looked up there he was," Clark said.

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDING didn't begin too cheerfully. Graebner found himself playing catchup soon after he walked on the court.

Gisbert broke his serve in the very first game when he connected a backhand passing shot for the final point.

Graebner quickly returned the "favor" in the second game by breaking the Spaniard's serve.

Then they each held serve until the 16^th and final game.

WITH GISBERT SERVING, GRAEBNER won the first two points, lost the third and won the final two. At 15-30 Clark slid a beautiful passing shot down the line to go up 15-40, and Gisbert errored into the net for the final tally.

Clark scored three aces and double falted just once in the first set. Like Saturday his serves were boomers.

Grabner went up 4-1 in the second set after breaking Gisbert's serve in the fourth game when he connected with a perfect passing shot, Juan never had a chance for it.

CLARK ALSO BROKE GISBERT'S SERVE in the eighth game, but Juan did it to Graebner in the seventh. Clark's lone double fault came in the seventh.

The third and final set was easy, for Clark was steamrolling by this time and he won the first four games and then coasted to a 6-1 victory to win the match and interzone semi-final for his country.

The Graebner-Gisbert match was a study in paradoxes. Graebner played to Gisbert's forehand throughout the match, while the Spaniard concentrated on Clark's backhand.

At one point in the match after Gisbert rifled several consecutive shots to Clark's backhand Graebner said for all to hear, "Give me a break." The crowd laughed and it seemed to break the tension.

Robert Kelleher, President of the United States Lawn Tennis Association, said this of Graebner's performance, "It was a wonderful win for Clark. Any win is great, but the impressive way he did it today after his slow start on Friday was just wonderful."

While a crowd of reporters surrounded Graebner in the heated locker room, Ashe was alone in a corner suiting up for his match when he yelled across to his teammate "Clark is king for today."

All loyal subjects salute the King -- long live the King.