No lobs allowed

Madrid to host Davis Cup semifinal

The United State Davis Cup team might have caught a break in its semifinal matchup with Spain this week when the Spanish tennis federation ignored pleas by its players and captain to not play in Madrid's bullring. The Spanish players had preferred a host city at a lower altitude than Madrid for the Sept. 19-21 matchup.

Rafael Nadal, the three-time French Open champion, was among eight Spanish players and captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario who signed an open letter this week denouncing the federation's process for choosing the host city. The team said Madrid's 2,100-foot altitude (roughly that of Las Vegas) will remove the team's home-court advantage and accused federation president Pedro Munoz of favoring the capital city because of sponsorship money.

The Spaniards are at their best on a slow clay surface, while the Americans -- led by hard-serving Andy Roddick -- are likely to benefit from the higher altitude speeding up play. It's the first time in 10 years that Madrid will host a Davis Cup match.

The players -- also including fifth-ranked David Ferrer and former French Open champion Carlos Moya -- have threatened to boycott all the promotional events for the federation and its sponsors as long as Munoz remains presidentt.

``The problem is not so much the altitude but ... at first he (Munoz) said he would adhere to the requests of the players and then he went back on his word. That is what hurt us, that he doesn't honor his promises,'' Sanchez Vicario told Radio Marca on Friday.

Madrid's selection came three months after the city's tourist office signed up as a key sponsor with the Davis Cup through 2010. Madrid also is bidding to host the 2016 Olympics.

Spaniards squabble over Davis Cup site

The defending Davis Cup champion United States team will face its toughest test so far when it travels to Spain in September to play on a clay surface that will be far from the American's liking. Or will it?

A note of discord seems to be threatening to throw the Spanish squad into disarray. Spanish press is reporting a disagreement between the Spanish players and the tennis federation on where to hold the Davis Cup semifinal against the U.S. The federation favors Madrid's Las Ventas bullring, but a majority of the potential team members want to play at a location with less altitude. Madrid's 2,100-foot makes it the highest capital city in Europe, and the altitiude could take away Spain's precious clay-court advantage. Spanish sporting newspaper Marca reports Davis Cup captain Emilio Sanchez has threatened to resign over the dispute unless the players' views are considered.

Madrid is one of four cities vying to host the Sept. 19-21 best-of-five series. Benidorm, Tenerife and Gijon are also trying to win the right to host the event. Madrid’s sudden place as the front-runner comes about three months after the city’s tourist office signed up as a key sponsor with the Davis Cup through 2010.

“What I know is that as of today it hasn’t been decided where the Davis Cup semifinal will be staged,” federation sporting director Javier Duarte said. “That which has the best specifics will take the semifinal.”

The U.S. defeated Spain on the hard court in Winston-Salem, N.C., last year, but the American's last trip to Spain did not turn out well. Spain edged the U.S. 3-2 in the Davis Cup Finals in 2004 in Seville after Andy Roddick lost to Carlos Moya, pictured above, and an 18-year-old Rafeal Nadal. Moya also defeated Mardy Fish.

The Spanish players believe the altitude in Madrid will enhance Roddick’s booming serve and help the hard-hitting doubles pair of Bob and Mike Bryan. The United States holds a 5-3 lead in the series between the two nations, but Spain is 3-1 in matches played on clay. The slowest of all playing surfaces, clay is a more physical surface with its lengthier baseline rallies due to balls taking on heavier topspin.

Juan Carlos Ferrero, who was part of the Spanish team that beat the Americans in Seville nearly four years ago for the title, said problems were brewing.

“We players want this to be solved in the best way possible, but if it has to be done the worse way, then it will be,” the former top-ranked player said from the Rome Masters.

The federation will make its decision Friday, but then has several days to relay its decision to the International Tennis Federation, which is expected to announce the host city by May 13.

Three-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal will play for Spain if is healthy. He has won 103 of his last 104 matches on clay.

-- Contains wire material

Photo credit: The Associated Press/Jasper Juinen

France pulls off Saturday surprise

Bob and Mike Bryan were struggling to describe how the so-called “automatic point” for the United States Davis Cup team had failed to close out France on Saturday when captain Patrick McEnroe chimed in.

“These guys are human. You see them? They’re human,” McEnroe said. “We count on them. Everybody always says, ‘The doubles are a lock.’ Well, they played a great team and they played well.”

The joking and loose French pair of Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement ended the Bryans’ doubles dominance, rallying past the top-ranked twins 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 to cut the Americans’ lead to 2-1 in the best-of-five competition.

The Bryans had been 14-1 in Davis Cup play and 5-0 in clinching situations, but they couldn’t secure a spot for the U.S. in the semifinals against Spain. Llodra and Clement, who said they were discussing wine between points, raised their record to 4-2 against the Bryans and kept the French alive for Sunday’s reverse singles.

“We knew before the match when the Bryans lead they are very big on the court,” Llodra said. “We knew we had to stay positive and have a good attitude. That’s the key when you are down in the score. In the middle of the fourth set, I saw the Bryans were a little bit shorter."

A day after Andy Roddick and James Blake put the U.S. in command with singles wins, the Bryans wasted a chance to pass John McEnroe and Peter Fleming as the winningest U.S. Davis Cup doubles team.

The pressure shifts to Roddick, who will play the first match Sunday against Paul-Henri Mathieu or perhaps Richard Gasquet if he’s recovered from a blister on his right hand and a sore knee. Blake plays the final match, tentatively against Llodra.

French captain Guy Forget was seen talking to Gasquet after the doubles match ended. Forget hinted his lineup will depend on whether Gasquet thinks he’s healthy enough to play.

“I feel it should be an honor to play for your country. I feel it’s a privilege when somebody asks you if you want to play,” Forget said. “Richard felt like he couldn’t play at a decent level (Friday). Now the question is how he really feels. But I’m not begging him. If he doesn’t want to play he won’t go out.”

Tsonga out of Davis Cup match

Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pulled out of France’s team for this weekend’s Davis Cup quarterfinal series against the United States with a right knee injury. Tsonga, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the final of this season’s first Grand Slam tournament, made his Davis Cup debut in France’s 5-0 win over Romania in the first round. He will be replaced by Arnaud Clement for the best-of-five series against the Americans on indoor hard courts in Winston-Salem, N.C., the French tennis federation said Wednesday on its Web site.

Besides Clement, France will use 10th-ranked Richard Gasquet, Paul-Henri Mathieu and Michael Llodra against the Americans. The United States, which won its record 32nd Davis Cup title last year, will be represented by Andy Roddick, James Blake and Mike and Bob Bryan.

Clement is Llodra’s regular doubles partern and the pair defeated the Bryans this year at the Australian Open and two years ago at Wimbledon.

With Tsonga out of the picture, the French will likely nominate Mathieu, ranked No. 12 in the world, to play second singles behind Richard Gasquet. A career 4-6 in Davis Cup competition, Mathieu last played in the 2007 quarterfinals against Russia. Mathieu is 1-2 against Andy Roddick and 0-1 against James Blake.

Clement, 29, an eight-year Davis Cup veteran, is accomplished in both singles and doubles. In the first round against Romania, Clement partnered with Llodra in the clinching match.

The official draw ceremony, which determines the official order of play, will be held Thursday at the Joel Coliseum.

-- From wire reports

McEnroe calls on usual Davis Cup cast

When U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe named his team for next month's World Group quarterfinal match against France, it wasn't so much who he picked, but that he was again calling on the same group for a record 10th consecutive time.

Andy Roddick, James Blake and the No. 1-ranked doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan will represent the defending champions when they face one of their biggest challenges against a French squad that features up-and-coming stars Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet and a savvy doubles team of Nicolas Mahut and Michael Llodra.

"I think I'm pretty lucky," McEnroe said during a conference call to announce the lineup. "I think having an anticlimactic announcement is the best one to have for me as a captain. I'll say it again: I just think that these guys have been amazing in their commitment to playing for their country and playing Davis Cup. I give them all the credit in the world for coming back."

The match, the first on U.S. soil since November when the Americans won their first Davis Cup in 12 years, will be April 11-13 at Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C. The U.S. team beat Spain in a quarterfinal matchup at Winston- Salem last year.

"I'm thrilled that we're going to be able to play a match at home as a champion," McEnroe said. "That was something I was really hoping we'd be able to do this year. I really wanted the guys to be able to come out in the home [match] as a Davis Cup champs, so going back to Winston-Salem is perfect."

It will be the 15th meeting between the two nations in the 108-year history of the Davis Cup. The series is tied 7-7. France defeated the Americans in their last meeting in 2002 on clay at Roland Garros in Paris.

This time the U.S. will be playing on a fast indoor hardcourt that is more to its liking. However, Tsonga and Gasquet are accomplished hardcourt players. Tsonga reached the final of the Australian Open in January, Gasquet is ranked No. 8 in the world and Llodra and Mahut are defending Wimbledon champions.

"I think they're all dangerous," McEnroe said. "I think it's a great matchup. I think each match individually could be a Grand Slam semifinal kind of match."

McEnroe, who is 14-6 since taking over as captain in 2001, also said Mardy Fish will be a reserve and practice with the team. Fish upset No. 1-ranked Roger Federer last week in the semifinals at Indian Wells, Calif., before falling to Novak Djokovic in the final.

Reigning USTA 18s champion Michael McClune also will join the team as a practice partner.

Tickets for the match are available at all levels by calling 888-484-8782 or go online at www.ticketmaster.com.

-- Rusty Hall

U.S moves into Davis Cup quarters

The defending champion United States advanced to the Davis Cup quarterfinals behind a commanding doubles victory by twins Bob and Mike Bryan on Saturday over Austria's Julian Knowle and Jurgen Melzer in Vienna. The Bryans won 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 to give the Americans an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five, first-round series. The U.S. became the first nation to reach the quarters and will next play France on April 11-13. France won 3-0 at Romania.

The Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C., has been selected as the site for the match against France. Tickets are expected to go on sale to the general public the week of Feb. 25. For more information, call the U.S. Davis Cup hotline at 888-484-8782. 

"I am glad we finished off the job on the second day," U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe said. "It was a tough draw. Both singles were extremely difficult, but the guys were mentally very strong in handling the circumstances."

Andy Roddick and James Blake won the opening singles matches Friday against Melzer and Stefan Koubek. McEnroe has not decided which players he will use for Sunday's meaningless reverse singles. Roddick had some trouble with his right knee against Melzer and was unlikely to play.

"The Bryans were at their very best," said Knowle, a U.S. Open doubles champion. "There was just nothing to gain for us. They outplayed us in every department of the game and we were miles away from winning."

The U.S. won its record 32nd Davis Cup in December, beating Russia 4-1 in Portland, Ore. The Americans used the same four-man team to win at Austria on a difficult clay surface.

In other World Group play, Argentina (over Britain) and the Czech Republic (over Belgium) advanced to the quarterfinals with 3-0 victories. Holding 2-1 leads were: Russia (over Serbia), Israel (over Sweden) and Germany (over South Korea). Spain led Peru 2-0.

-- The Associated Press

Photo credit: The Associated Press/Hans Punz

U.S. prepares to defend Davis Cup

Defending the Davis Cup title will be dirty business for the Americans, beginning this week in Vienna, Austria.

Austria will take on the defending champs in a best-of-five first-round series on an indoor clay court at Ferry-Dusiika Staidum, beginning with singles matches Friday. 

In last year's run to a record 32nd Davis Cup championship, only once did the U.S. team have to play on clay, a surface that neutralizes the powerful serve and groundstrokes of U.S. stars Andy Roddick and James Blake. The U.S. defeated an outmanned Czech team on clay last year, but the rest of its matches were played on fast courts that suited the Americans well. The U.S. eliminated Spain on a hard court in Winston-Salem, N.C., beat Sweden on indoor carpet in Gothenburg, Sweden, and it wrapped up the title against Russia in Portland.

The match is the third between the United States and Austria. The Americans won both meetings, with the first on clay in Vienna in 1990 and the second on hard courts in Connecticut in 2004.

If the U.S. gets past Austria, it would likely catch a break in the quarterfinals barring a major upset. The U.S. will likely meet France, which should eliminate Romania this weekend. The U.S. last played France in Paris in 2002 and would host the quarterfinal match. But the French will be formidable with a likely lineup featuring Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet playing singles, along with a seasoned doubles team of Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement.

If the U.S. survives the French, things get tough. The U.S. would likely face trips to Spain or Germany in the semifinals and and Russia or Serbia in the finals. However, the U.S. has never played Serbia in Davis Cup competition and a home site would have to be determined.

-- Rusty Hall

Photo credit: The Associated Press/Hans Punz

TV schedule
Friday singles: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (Tape delay), Versus
Friday singles: 7 p.m. (Encore), Tennis Channel
Saturday doubles: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (Tape delay), Versus
Saturday doubles: 7 p.m. (Encore), Tennis Channel
Sunday singles: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (Tape delay), Versus
Sunday singles: 7 p,m (Encore), Tennis Channel

Davis Cup repeat won't be easy

Now that the United States has ended its 12-year Davis Cup drought, the next step is to do it again. But defending the title will not be easy, even with the dedicated and talented team captain Patrick McEnroe has at his disposal. The biggest obstacle facing the United States next year is that they will face the prospect of playing Russia or Spain or both on the road and on the dirt.

If Rafael Nadal is healthy and actually elects to play Davis Cup next year, Spain will be formidable on any surface, but on clay, forget it. Unless Andy Roddick and James Blake up their clay-court games, like from here to Mars.

Russia on clay is also a different animal. Don’t expect Nikolay Davydenko to be relegated to doubles. And, by the way, Russian captain Shamil Tarpischev made a huge mistake in Portland. No, it wasn’t putting Davydenko in doubles with Igor Andreev. That was actually very clever. His mistake was leaving Marat Safin at home. Safin, despite being a bit of a head case, is the only Russian capable of standing up to Andy Roddick, mano-a-mano. It might not have changed the outcome, but it might have given the Russians a chance.

But the Russians or the Spaniards are not the only potential spoilers. France, with Richard Gasquet, Paul-Henri Mathieu and the savvy doubles team of Michael Llodra and Sebastien Grosjean almost, and probably should have, beat Russia this year.

Oh, and should Roger Federer see fit to descend from the heavens and put his talents at Switzerland’s disposal, move the Swiss to the the top of the list with a young and dangerous Stanislas Wawrinka as Federer’s No. 2.

It all starts again Feb. 8-10 and the United States will get its first taste in 12 years of having to defend the Cup when it travels to Vienna, Austria. And yes, it will be on the dirt.

Here’s hoping the boys enjoyed the champagne and then go dig their clay-court shoes out of the closet. They’re going to need them next year if they want to repeat.

2008 Davis Cup first-round venues
The full list of venues for the first round of the 2008 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group, to be played the weekend of Feb. 8-10 , is as follows (subject to final confirmation by the ITF):

Russia vs. Serbia: Small Sports Arena "Luzhniki", Moscow, Russia - surface tbc (indoors)
Comment: This will be a tough one for the Russians if Serbian star Novak Djokovic is physically able to carry the weight of his country.

Czech Republic vs. Belgium: CEZ Arena, Ostrava, Czech Republic - carpet (indoors)
Comment:  Tomas Berdych and a seasoned doubles team of Lukas Dlouhy and Pavel Vizner  should give the Czechs the edge they need at home.

Argentina vs. Great Britain: Estadio Parque Roca, Buenos Aires, Argentina - clay (outdoors).
Comment:  A healthy David Nalbandian vs. a healthy Andy Murray... That’s entertainment. But throw in Guillermo Canas and Juan Martin Del Potro and Argentina might have too much depth for the Brits.

Israel vs. Sweden: Canada Stadium, Ramat Hasharon, Israel - hard (outdoors)
Comment:  Tune in for Saturday’s doubles match, it should be a dozy _ Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram vs. Jonas Bjorkman and anybody else.

Germany vs. Korea. Republic: Volkswagen Halle Braunschweig - clay (indoors)
Comment: Tommy Haas and company should advances easily, but Hyung-Taik Lee is no walkover and could make it interesting.

Peru vs. Spain: Jockey Club de Peru, Lima, Peru - clay (outdoors)
Comment:  At least Peru doesn’t have to travel to endure this beating. Yes, even if Rafael Nadal stays home.

Romania vs. France: details to be confirmed.
Comment: Just a tune up for France, just like last year’s 4-1 first-round victory over Romania.

Austria vs. USA: Ferry Dusika Hallenstadion, Vienna, Austria - clay (indoors)
Comment: The  defending champs should have too much firepower, but the Bryan Brothers might get a test from Julian Knowle and Jurgen Melzer.

-- Rusty Hall

Blake, Roddick put U.S. in position to win Davis Cup

PORTLAND, Ore. — James Blake held off feisty Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3) Friday night to give the United States a 2-0 lead over Russia in the Davis Cup final.

Blake’s victory got the U.S. within one win of its first Davis Cup title since 1995. Earlier, Andy Roddick cruised past Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in the opening match on the hard court at Memorial Coliseum. The crowd was on its feet when Blake went ahead in the final tiebreaker and Youzhny hit into the net for the U.S. victory.

Andy Roddick got the United States off to a fast start, beating Russia’s Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in the first match. Roddick threw his hands up in triumph after Tursunov’s final return landed long on the hard court. Roddick, ranked No. 6 in the world, improved to 6-0 in Davis Cup play this year.

“It’s kind of like ‘so close but so far away.’ There’s no celebration,” Roddick said. “It’s one match. The celebration will be saved for when we win, if we win.

Russian captain shakes things up

Russian Davis Cup captain Shamil Tarpischev threw a bit of a curve at Team USA during Thursday's Davis Cup draw in Portland, Ore. Tarpischev will send Dmitry Tursunov, ranked No. 34 in the world, against No. 6-ranked Andy Roddick in Friday's first match, which gets underway at 3 p.m. Tursunov, who defeated Roddick in the deciding match of last year's Davis Cup semifinals in Russia, is the lowest ranked singles player on the Russian squad. The second match will be American No. 2 James Blake against Russian No. 1 Mikhail Youzhny, who is ranked No. 19 in the ATP Tour rankings.

Tarpischev will team his highest-ranked singles player, No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko, with No. 33-ranked Igor Andreev in Saturday's doubles match against the top-ranked doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan. The competition finishes up on Sunday with Roddick vs. Youzhny and Blake vs. Tursunov. Russia is the defending Davis Cup champion but the U.S. is hoping to end its reign and capture its first Davis Cup trophy since 1995.

Davis Cup on TV
Friday’s singles: 3-9 p.m. Versus (live); 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m., Tennis Channel (taped)
Saturday doubles: 2:30-5:30 p.m. Versus (live); 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Tennis Channel (taped)
Sunday: 3-9 p.m. Versus (live); 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m., Tennis Channel (taped)

-- Rusty Hall