U.S. Davis Cup Brings 9-Year Title Drought to Final Versus Spain

Posted on November 30, 2004

Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish and the Bryan brothers hope to add to Davis Cup lore this weekend when they assume the monstrous underdog role, facing Spain on their home red dirt in front of an expected record-setting crowd in Seville.

While Roddick has had success at the red clay event in Houston, winning two titles with wins over Guillermo Coria, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi en route, the appointment of Mardy Fish to the second singles position by U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe seems a testament to faith or friendship rather than strategy.

McEnroe was unable to convince French Open winner Andre Agassi to come out of his self-appointed Davis Cup retirement, while Vince Spadea was a late addition to the U.S. team. All eyes will be on McEnroe this week to see if he pulls the Fish-out-of-water for Spadea, who was a semifinalist on the red dirt at the Masters Series-Monte Carlo last year, with an additional third-round effort (l. to eventual runner-up Martin "Berzerk" Verkerk) at the French Open.

The U.S. is favored in the Saturday doubles, where former French Open winners Bob and Mike Bryan are scheduled to take on Spaniards Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal and Tommy "The R." Robredo, who do not pair regularly in tour play.

"For me, the doubles will be the most difficult rubber of the match. On paper the Bryan brothers start with a greater advantage because they are more experienced as a duo," said Juan Avendano, part of Spain's three-man coaching team, speaking to the sports daily Marca.

The American twins are 3-0 this year in Cup play without dropping a set, while Nadal-Robredo are 1-2. While the Spanish captains see Fish's two singles as "gimmes," they also see a potential embarrassing 5-0 sweep of the Americans.

"It is true that we have more possibilities against (Mardy) Fish but we have to think about winning against (Andy) Roddick and in the doubles. We think we can make the five points," said captain Jose Perlas.

The 26,000-seat temporary claycourt built in a corner of Seville's Olympic Stadium cost more than $2.5 million, with organizers contemplating adding even more seating. A capacity crowd would break the previous tour-record set in 1954 when 25,578 watched the U.S. beat the host Australians in Sydney.

Captain Pat Mac and his boys arrived last Saturday, and the buzzword has been "impressive."

"To play in such a big stadium is impressive," said McEnroe, whose team held their first workout on the red clay Sunday. "With over 25,000 people here it's going to be impressive. Our guys are excited. We know how difficult it is going to be as the underdog."

"Underdog" would get a new dictionary definition were the Americans to prevail in Seville.

un*der*dog (ndr-dog -dg)
(1) n. Stupid cartoon dog popular in the 1970s.
(2) n. Player typically facing Roger Federer.
(3) n. See: U.S. Davis Cup team beating Spain in 2004 final.

Many U.S. fans at this point would say one singles win would be a moral victory, and a slap to either former French Open champs Juan Carlos Ferrero or Carlos Moya on their home court. A U.S. win would turn the Olympic Stadium into a venue for mass suicide in Seville.

There was speculation that Ferrero, who suffered a horrendous year in 2004 between various injuries, illnesses and bouts of self-doubt, could be substituted in the singles by the hungry youngster Nadal. Ferrero has also gone through a racquet-switch in recent months, but took most all of November off to concentrate on befriending his new stick and adapting to the slow red dirt.

Spain won its first Davis Cup title only as recently as 2000, but has since appeared in three of the last five finals. This is Spain's fifth final overall, but the first without Australia on the other side of the net. Spain's first two finals in 1965 and 1967 were losses on grass at Australia, while the Spaniards finally turned the tide 33 years later at home in Barcelona, winning 3-1 on the dirt. Last year Spain again reached the final, but Australia had homecourt advantage and took the Spaniards to task on the lawns 3-1 (last match abandoned).

Known for a Davis Cup passion that extends to even voraciously cheering an opponent's double faults, the Spanish fans will present en mass on Friday for the opening singles, which will determine the course of the tie. If Roddick can somehow power through his opening singles to even things at 1-1 on Friday, the Bryan brothers will have the opportunity to give the U.S. a 2-1 lead entering the final day on Sunday. But a 2-0 Spanish whitewash on the opening day of the singles would see the brothers saddled with simply keeping the U.S. alive in the tie on Saturday.

With Spanish supporters already digging through their closets for their drums and horns, the decibel level in Seville Friday may set another sporting record.

"Just thinking about playing before that many people gives me goosebumps," said Carlos Moya, the Spanish No. 1. "I think it's going to be an incredible show and the fans here are going to give us tremendous support."

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