It is unclear whether Zina Garrison can get top players Lindsay Davenport, Serena and Venus Williams, and Jennifer Capriati to step up and play the beleagered Fed Cup competition in 2005, but the United States Tennis Association (USTA) is willing to give it another try.
The USTA has granted Garrison the bare-bones minimum one-year extention on her contract as captain. The U.S. will face Belgium in their next tie in April, with the proposition of the U.S. staring across the net at two former No. 1s in Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters.
This year Garrison could only field the "C"-team of Lisa Raymond and Chanda Rubin as the U.S. bowed out to Austria in the quarterfinals, a difficult proposition for U.S. Fed Cup fans (an endangered species) to swallow with so many high-powered stars on the roster.
Former captain Billie Jean King also retired as a coach for the U.S. Fed Cup team this week, leaving a legacy of seven Fed Cup titles as a player (with a 52-4 record) and four as a captain.
"My wonderful experiences with the U.S. Fed Cup team have provided me the special opportunity to contribute to the continued growth of women's sports and international team tennis," said King in a statement. "I have been very fortunate to play and work beside so many great players and coaches, including Zina -- who is certain to have great success leading the team."
The Fed Cup has become something to be avoided rather than supported for the top players, with Amelie Mauresmo opting out for rest before France competed in the semifinals this year. Last year both Henin-Hardenne and Clijsters opted out of the semifinals in protest of the late-year scheduling.
Moya Hero, Ferrero Zero in Davis Cup Final
Carlos Moya missed out in 2000 when Spain captured its first-ever Davis Cup title, but the former French Open winner would not miss out in 2004, in full health on the home red dirt.
"I've been hoping for this moment since I can remember, and then it all happens so fast," Moya said after beating Andy Roddick for the clinching point against the U.S. "This was my biggest goal, and I worked so hard to be here. I've played this match in my mind so many times, thought about it so much. For me, it was all or nothing (against Roddick), even though we had a 2-1 lead."
While Moya was carried around on his compatriot's shoulders, the Spanish doormat in the final turned out to be perhaps the best claycourter on the planet, 2000 hero Juan Carlos Ferrero. The former No. 1 was expected to play on the opening Friday, despite his horrible 2004 campaign and suffering blisters during the week, but was yanked in favor of 18-year-old comer Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal. The Spanish teen rose to the occasion on opening day, taking out Roddick in four sets for a 2-0 lead in the tie after Moya had dispatched of Mardy Fish in straights.
Ferrero watched from the sidelines, unaware that greater humiliation was in store.
On Saturday the Spanish coaches deemed Nadal in need of rest, pulling the teen from the doubles line-up with Tommy Robredo and inserting Ferrero. At the tour level Ferrero had won just three of his 22 doubles matches, and was summarily thrashed by the American Bryan twins in straight sets with a bagel in the first.
Had Roddick beaten Moya on Sunday, perhaps the Spanish captains would have thrown Ferrero a bone in the fifth match against Fish. Upon being passed over for the opening singles, Ferrero said when he closed his eyes he could see himself playing on Sunday. No update as to what he saw when he closed his eyes Sunday after Moya's heroics.
It was unfortunately a fitting conclusion for Ferrero's nightmare year of injury and illness, one year after almost closing out the year in the No. 1 ranking and giving Australia all they could handle on grass in the 2003 Davis Cup final. This year Ferrero finished outside the Top 30 on the ATP Rankings.
"That issue is long forgotten," said Ferrero on getting pulled from the singles. "I feel fortunate to have won a second Davis Cup when I am only 24 years old."
The final was also a telling scenario for the United States. Roddick can power his way through opponents on red clay, but lacking a solid No. 2 on the slow surface, the U.S. remains vulnerable against the Argentinas, Spains, Chiles, and other clay-adept nations with home draws that will put the Americans on the red.
Courier Wins Senior Tour Finale, No. 1 Ranking
Playing tennis for the fun of it is agreeing with Jim Courier.
The former No. 1 is now the senior tour year-end No. 1 after his first year of competition on the "geezer circuit," defeating Thomas Muster 7-6(5), 6-4 in the final of the senior tour championship.
"It was a challenging match physically and Thomas caught me off guard in the first set with how aggressive he was," Courier said of the Austrian former No. 1. "When you haven't been in the position too many times recently it can be challenging to try and finish a match off. Fortunately I've never had too many problems doing that. You just have to believe in yourself and go for your shots."
The final 2004 Top 10-ranked players on the senior tour were 1. Jim Courier, 2. Thomas Muster. 3. Sergi Bruguera, 4. Richard Krajicek, 5. Mats Wilander, 6. Boris Becker, 7. Guy Forget, 8. Goran Ivanisevic, 9. Michael Stich, and 10. Pat Cash.
Tennis-X Under Your X-Mas Tree
Hang on this week for the Best of News, Notes, Quotes and Barbs from 2004, and of course the inimitable Tennis-X Year-End Awards.
TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Lleyton Hewitt's sister Jaslyn says her brother is bracing for a media onslaught in January during the run-up to the Australian Open concerning his split with Kim Clijsters, hanging out with Tatiana "Hot Pants" Golovin, etc.: "I don't think any of that will have anything to do with when he is on court. He always copes well, I think. Under how much pressure he gets I think he does a superb job."...Mark Philippoussis is back in Australia practicing in Melbourne as of yesterday, but had no love for the media regarding his Australian Open preparations. Flipper had been taking some coaching tutelage from John McEnroe in New York City in late November...Aussie coach Peter McNamara on Lleyton Hewitt's annual choke-o-thon at the Australian Open, speaking to The Australian: "I think it's difficult for him. A lot of people play really well at home -- (Mark) Philippoussis always did -- but Lleyton does get a little nervous in front of a home crowd. I think he builds up the Australian Open and wants to win it so much that he puts a lot of pressure on himself. I just hope he goes out there and plays the way he's been playing for the last six months and he could easily win it. He's had a hell of a year, but he's just such an athlete and his last six months have been incredible. Everyone tried to write him off, but he's shown he's right back up there with the greats and I'd love to see a Hewitt-(Roger) Federer final."...John McEnroe's talk show will be replaced next month by "The Big Idea," a (horrendous) talk show with (horrible) advertising executive Donny Deutsch as host...Everyone jumping on the AP wire story about Andre Agassi possibly playing Davis Cup next year = weak. Because Pat Mac says the door is open? Who cares? They don't need Andre on hardcourt, they needed him in Seville...U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe wants his boys to stop blowing off the European claycourt season to get some seasoning of their own on the red dirt: "I think it would help them, yes. I think it would help make them better all around players. I think it will help these guys even on slow hard courts, to learn how to just mix things up a little bit still play to your strengths, but play a little bit smarter, tactically better. Obviously it's unrealistic to say that we're going to just start playing constantly on clay, with the schedule. But certainly I think we can put the work in at the appropriate time and play a couple more events and play against these guys who are the best on this stuff."...GQ magazine named Maria Sharapova one of its five 2004 Women of the Year.
