TEAM USA SEEING RED (CLAY, THAT IS…)

Written by: Staff on 14th April 2012

TEAM USA SEEING RED (CLAY, THAT IS...)

epa03097854 (L-R) Swiss Davis Cup team players Michael Lammer, Marco Chiudinelli, Stanislas Wawrinka, Roger Federer and team captain Severin Luethi and US Davis Cup team players Mike Bryan, Roy Harrison, John Isner, Mardy Fish and team captain Jim Courier pose for photographers during the official Davis Cup draw ceremony in Fribourg, Switzerland, 09 February 2012. Switzerland will face the USA in the Davis Cup World Group first round. EPA/PETER KLAUNZER |

By Kristen Tracy

When the draw for the 2012 Davis Cup was released, many Team USA fans cringed when they saw who the first opponent was. Not only were they facing Roger Federer and Team Switzerland, but they were set to play in Swiss territory on a surface that had never been the kindest to the Americans – red clay. It was a battle many thought had already been decided, but Team USA had other plans. In what was a surprise to many, the American team came out swinging – and closed out day one with a 2-0 lead. Both Mardy Fish and John Isner had pulled off impressive five-set wins against Stanislas Wawrinka and Roger Federer, respectively. They were arguably one, if not the biggest wins of their careers for the two American men. The next day, Mike Bryan and Mardy Fish (filling in for brother Bob who had just welcomed daughter Micaela into the world) clinched the tie with a tough win over the team of Federer/Wawrinka. By the end of the weekend, the United States had pulled off a staggering 5-0 defeat of not only the home team, but of the best player in the history of tennis. It was a victory that would leave the Swiss devastated, and the USA inspired.

Last weekend, the American team faced another seemingly impossible feat. They were once again, forced to play on clay. Though the defeat of the Swiss a couple months prior provided somewhat of confidence boost, they still had a tough obstacle to overcome – the French. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga led the team comprised of Gilles Simon, Julien Benneteau, and Michael Llodra. It was also the final year for longtime French captain Guy Forget, which meant Team France was going to do all they could to help their captain go out with one last Davis Cup title. Davis Cup newbie Ryan Harrison was called up to play in the first singles rubber when Mardy Fish had to unexpectedly pull out of the tie a few days earlier. It was only his third time playing for his country, and his opponent was none other than world number six Tsonga. Both players came out fighting, but it was the veteran Frenchman who prevailed. This meant it was up to John Isner to even the tie – which he did, in a convincing three-set win over Gilles Simon. Day two, a day that almost always seems to unofficially decide every Davis Cup tie, featured Bob Bryan’s return and the dominant team of he and brother Mike showed no mercy. They convincingly defeated the team of Benneteau/Llodra in three sets, leaving John Isner in perfect position to do something that the United States had been unable to do in quite some time – win back-to-back away Davis Cup ties on clay. The pressure was on, but Isner showed once again why he is a force to be reckoned with on any surface, with a four-set win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The win for Isner was the third over a top ten player in as many months, and aptly secured his spot in the top ten. The feat was one many thought was impossible, including Jim Courier, currently in his sophomore year of coaching the boys from the USA. “We’ve had the worst (Davis Cup) draw than you can possibly imagine so far,” Courier said. “I’m shocked that we’re still in the Davis Cup this year. Honestly, at the beginning of the year it was my hope that we would be able to stay in the World Group. I mean, Switzerland away you would think we’d probably lose that match, and when we got past Switzerland we thought maybe we’d have a chance but thought we’d lose this one as well.” The United States had just taken down not one, but two powerhouse clay court teams. Their time for celebration though, was limited.

In September, Team USA will face yet another team away from home – a team that has proven to be an incredibly difficult opponent in the past. Spain will host the American team on a surface of their choosing. Initially, it would have seemed that the red clay was the one surface that would have almost indefinitely insured a victory for the Spanish. However, with the recent emergence of Captain Jim Courier and company as serious clay competitors, the odds are up for grabs. Courier himself admitted that his team has a lot of work to do if they want to dismiss the underdog perception going into the semifinals. “Spain, we’d probably lose it on paper,” Courier said. “But they don’t play it on paper. We have to play it and we have players who are capable and passionate and hungry. We’re going to be the underdog but we’ll be ready to play.” The team has proven themselves more than ready to show that Americans can win on clay. And ready they will be, when Team USA takes on Team Spain away from home on September 14-16.

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Topics: 10sballs.com, 2012 Davis Cup, and Michael Llodra, Gilles Simon, Guy Forget, Jim Courier, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, Julien Benneteau, Kristen Tracy, Mardy Fish, Mike Bryan, Roger Federer, Stanislas Wawrinka, Team Switzerland, Team Usa, tennis blogger, Tennis Fan