Davis Cup Play by Annie Keegan

I would like to introduce a new writer for us--Annie Keegan, from Long Island, who is an avid tennis player at the Falmouth Sports Center and a big fan of professional tennis. She is sharing this recent report of the American Davis Cup, which at one time was more popular than the major tennis events, particularly before the open era, which occurred in 1968. Thank you Annie Keegan......

Hi Folks! Kevin asked me to do a little blog of today’s Davis Cup action from Petco Park in San Diego.  It’s USA vs. Great Britain in the first round of the World Group.   We haven’t lost to the

Brits in Davis Cup since 1935 (our overall record against them in Davis Cup competition is 11-7).

This year we’re really going to feel the absence of Andy Roddick and James Blake. Both players were Davis Cup stalwarts and they’ve both retired.  John Isner, the highest ranked American player is injured.  So let’s just say we’re playing with our “B” team while Britain has Andy Murray playing all three days for them.  That being said, Davis Cup frequently brings out the best in players so let’s

hope for some great matches.

 

Team USA is represented by Sam Querrey (49), Donald Young (79) and Mike and Bob Bryan (1).

Obviously Captain Jim Courier is relying heavily on the Bryans to win the doubles on Saturday.

The host team chooses the venue and playing surface and I’m a bit baffled by the choice of outdoor

clay.  Clay may be Murray’s weakest surface but it isn’t a favorite of any of our guys either so that’s a bit of a head scratcher.

 

The first match (or “rubber” in Davis Cup-speak) is Donald Young facing Andy Murray. Young has been touted as having potential for greatness but he hasn’t delivered. He’s had some attitude problems and even a public squabble with the head of USTA player development, Patrick McEnroe.  He was passed over for a spot on last year’s Davis Cup squad and took to Twitter to express his unhappiness.  As I write this Murray has defeated Young in straight sets.

 

The second match of the day has Querrey facing James Ward (179). If that match follows rank, Querrey should win and we would go into tomorrow’s doubles even at 1-1.

 

As it turns out Ward upset Querrey which leaves the US in a must-win position going into Saturday’s

doubles round.

 

The beauty of Davis Cup is that it allows us to see the best players in the world play for their country

rather than themselves. Very few players pass up the opportunity.  Stan Wawrinka is playing for

Switzerland just days after winning the Australian Open. He and Roger Federer have put the Swiss

Team up 2-0 in their match against the Serbian powerhouse team (who are missing both Djokovic and Tipsaravic this round).  And the German team is leading Spain 2-0. The Spanish are playing without several of their best as well. Rafael Nadal, Fernando Verdasco and Tommy Robredo are all

injured.

 

On Saturday the Bryan brothers came through in their match against Dominic Inglot and Colin Fleming. They won in four sets.  For doubles fans, Davis Cup is the only competition other than the majors where the matches remain 3 out of 5 sets with standard scoring.  And the doubles round is often a make or break match for a team trying to stay alive in the tie. Today proved to be just such a

scenario for the US. 

 

The matches on Sunday will be the reverse of Friday’s match-ups.  First up will be Sam Querrey vs. Andy Murray.  If Querrey can pull off the win it would be one of the most important victories of his career.  I’d love to see him do it.