2013/05/19

Serbia Holds Off Bryans in Five-Set Thriller

 

 

By Junior Williams

DAVIS CUP: SERBIA HOLDS OFF BRYANS IN THRILLER

Takes 2-1 lead after Zimonjic, Bozoljac win in five-set marathon.

 

(April 6, 2013) BOISE, Idaho – Serbia Davis Cup captain Bogdan Obradovic is probably saying, “I told you so.”

 

He stuck with No. 335th ranked Ilija Bozoljac instead of replacing him with world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

 

The payoff: Bozoljac and Nenad Zimonjic defeated top-ranked Americans Bob and Mike Bryan 7-6 (5), 7-6 (1), 5-7, 4-6, 15-13 in a thrilling 4 hour 21- minute doubles match in the Davis Cup World Group Quarterfinals at Taco Bell Arena, giving Serbia a 2-1 lead heading into Sunday’s rubbers and an opportunity for Djokovic to clinch the tie in his singles match.

 

Bozoljac’s powerful serves — many of them rockets at around 135 miles per hour — helped to neutralize the Bryans. Together, Bozoljac and Zimonjic served up 36 aces to the Americans’ twelve.

 

The 27-year old Bozoljac also came through with a number of backhand winners down the line. his play, combined with the experience of former world number one doubles player Zimonjic, came in handy for the Serbs.

 

Both teams broke each other midway through the first set, but it was Serbia that struck first by winning the tiebreak on a Zimonjic second serve ace, followed by a winner that clipped the baseline.

 

The second tiebreak also went to Serbia, helped by a minibreak due to a net cord and a strong service game resulting in three aces.

 

But the world’s No. 1 doubles team refused to give up. The Americans began their comeback by breaking Bozoljac’s serve in the final game of the third set, as Zimonjic’s block of a Mike Bryan shot sailed beyond the baseline.

 

The Bryans repeated the feat in the fourth set, as Zimonjic — who was serving this game — knocked a return from the Americans in to the net, knotting up the match at two sets apiece.

 

In the fifth set, each team managed to hold serve while escaping danger at times, until the 27th game of the set, when Bozoljac’s backhad stab return was sent wide by the Americans to give Serbia a break and a chance to serve out the match.

 

But there was more drama, as Zimonjic double faulted to give the Bryans two break points and a chance to tie the set at 14-14. That’s when Zimonjic blasted two aces to tie the game at deuce.

 

After the Bryans staved off one match point on a lob the Serbs couldn’t convert, Zimonjic served out the next two points, ending with an ace to seal the victory for Serbia. The winners hugged each other on the court as their supporters cheered wildly. Despite their disappointment, those rooting for the home team applauded the quality play of both the Serbians and the Americans.

 

Just how close was the match? Each team scored 217 points.

 

“For sure, it’s the biggest win in the Davis Cup doubles for me,” said Zimonjic. “We were playing very good.

 

“This was definitely a great, great performance and great match from me.”

 

“Anybody who was supposed to play with Nenad was supposed to be the underdog against the Bryans,” Bozoljac said. “We won and I just can’t believe it happened.

“For me, it definitely means a lot because this is my best performance in Davis Cup so far. I knew if I give my 100 percent for one match I could play on a really high level.”

 

“Have to tip our hats to those guys, obviously,” said a disappointed Bob Bryan.  “Thought they played really well all day.  36 aces, didn’t give us much opportunity, in the fifth especially.
“Just one of those things.  Obviously disappointed we let the team down.”

 

He’s a guy we haven’t seen too much of on the tour,” Mike Bryan said about journeyman Bozoljac.  “Asked a few questions of guys that have seen him play.  Gave us a few things.  But he served great all day.  He actually was a stronger returner.  There at the end he didn’t show any nerves, came up with the goods, especially on some of those 30‑All points.”

 

US Davis Cup Captain Jim Courier was asked about if Bozoljac’s is a testament to the spirit of Davis Cup “I think inspiration is pretty easy to come by when you’re playing for the colors on your back, US.  We’ve seen a lot of people in this competition rise up.  You look at the numbers next to the guy’s career, you see the performance today, something doesn’t add up.  You clearly see there was some inspiration, chemistry with Nenad on the court, and you say, Too good.”

 

It was the second consecutive Davis Cup defeat for the Bryans, who back in February lost in the World Group First Round to Brazil’s Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares. The winningest doubles team in U.S. Davis Cup history is now 20-4 when playing together.

 

Now the U.S. faces a tall task in tomorrow’s reverse singles, with Djokovic set to take on Sam Querrey in the first match. If Querrey pulls off the upset, it’ll be left to American John Isner and Serb Viktor Troicki to settle the tie.

 

Junior Williams is a long-time journalist and tennis fan. At a moment’s notice he can give you a list of all the Davis Cup match-ups that would give the US home ties. He is in Boise, Idaho covering the Davis Cup quarterfinal World Group tie between the United States and Serbia for Tennis Panorama News.

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Davis Cup: US, Serbia Deadlocked at 1-1; Djokovic, Querrey Victorious in World Group Quarterfinals

DAVIS CUP: U.S., SERBIA DEADLOCKED AT 1-1

Djokovic, Querrey victorious in World Group Quarterfinals

By Junior Williams

Sam Querrey

Sam Querrey

(April 5, 2013) BOISE, Idaho – Sam Querrey rebounded from a two sets to one deficit to defeat Viktor Troicki 7-6 (1), 3-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, drawing the United States even with Serbia at one match apiece in the Davis Cup World Group Quarterfinals at a loud Taco Bell Arena on the Boise State University campus.

In the first match, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic dispatched American John Isner in straight sets 7-6 (5), 6-2, 7-5.

 

Isner got off to a fast start by breaking Djokovic early in the first set, but the Greensboro, North Carolina native failed to hold on to his advantage and went on to lose the first-set tiebreak, courtesy of a Djokovic change-of-pace serve that handcuffed the number 23-ranked player in the world.

 

From then on it was all Djokovic. He did his best impersonation of a backboard, neutralizing Isner’s powerful serves with solid returns and defense. The Serb wrapped up the match in two hours.

 

On court in a post-match interview, Djokovic was asked about how he executed his game plan against Isner.

 

His response: “I executed perfectly.”

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic

 

Djokovic elaborated further in the news conference. “I guess one of the tactics — crucial points — was to get as many balls back on the return games and try to use my serve very efficiently and not give him any opportunities to atack my second serve. So I had a very high percentage of first serves in. That helped my confidence, and I could play with less pressure in his service games.”

 

Isner agreed with Djokovic that the Australian Open champion’s ability to break back in the first set was the turning point the match.

 

“I let him back in it,” said the American. “Granted, he played a good game, but I didn’t make many first serves that game. Doing that against this guy is not a good recipe.

“You want to make first serves, and I didn’t do in that one game in the first set. That was critical because I think he became a lot more comfortable at that point.”

 

Isner had seventeen aces in the match, but his first serve percentage was 54%, compared with 77% for Djokovic.

 

The Serb’s win set up another Davis Cup pressure cooker for Querrey, the top-ranked American and world No. 20. In the World Group First Round back in February, the Californian ousted Brazil’s Thiago Alves in a fifth and deciding rubber to send the U.S. into the quarterfinals.

 

Querrey and Troicki battled for 3 hours and 20 minutes in a match marked by long rallies, powerful serves and lots of unforced errors: Querrey had 82, Troicki 62.  Querrey was going for his shots, while Troicki – like Djokovic – appeared to be returning everything in sight.

crowd

The crowd erupted in the fifth set, when Querrey broke the world’s 44th-ranked player to go up 5-4, on a Troicki shot that hit the net cord but stayed on the Serbian’s side of the court. The American went on to hold serve in the next and final game.

 

Querrey said finding his groove in the fourth set was key: “I stayed positive and kept with the game plan and played aggressive. That fourth set served extremely well and was fortunate to get two breaks and that gave me a lot of momentum going into the fifth set.”

 

Troicki said he began to tire in the fourth set:

 

“I get a bit tired mentally and also physically my legs were not 100 percent and got a little bit slower. I could say fourth set I just like wasn’t there.”

 

But Troicki added both he and Querrey played well in the fifth set, and that it just came down to who seized the opportunities.

 

“I had some chances early in the fifth,” said Troicki. “I had some chances early in the fifth.  I had some break points; didn’t use them.  He used his chances when he had a break point in a crucial moment for me. So I could say I was unlucky to lose this serve and also, yeah, to lose the match.  But that’s tennis.”

 

Next up: A crucial Saturday doubles match with Americans Bob and Mike Bryan — the number one team in the world – scheduled to play Serbian doubles specialist Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac. But Novak Djokovic says he’s “still in the option” for doubles.

 

Whether Djokovic plays or not, U.S. Davis Cup captain Jim Courier says Saturday’s match is “not a must‑win.  We won’t be eliminated, nor will Serbia no matter what happens tomorrow.”

“We certainly want to win.  There is no doubt about that.  It’s an important match for both squads.  We’ll have two singles players ready to fire on Sunday.”

 

Junior Williams is a long-time journalist and tennis fan. At a moment’s notice he can give you a list of all the Davis Cup match-ups that would give the US home ties. He is in Boise, Idaho covering the Davis Cup quarterfinal World Group tie between the United States and Serbia for Tennis Panorama News.

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US Plays Host to Serbia in Davis Cup Quarterfinal This Weekend

QuerreyIsnerDavisCup2010lo_res

Sam Querrey and John Isner

(April 2, 2013) The United States hosts world No. 1 Novak Djokovic this weekend as they take on Serbia in the quarterfinal round of Davis Cup in Boise, Idaho on an indoor hard court at the Taco Bell Arena on the Boise State University campus.

 

The US team will consist of Sam Querrey, John Isner, Bob and Mike Bryan. In addition to Djokovic, Serbia sends Viktor Troicki, Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac.

 

This will be the second time that the US has played Serbia in Davis Cup competition. Serbia topped the US  3-2 in the 2010 first round in Belgrade.

 

“I think we like our chances,“ Querrey said at a a pre-draw news conference on Tuesday. “I think if we play aggressive and play well, we can win this tie.

 

“Sam and I are going to both lay it all out there and see how it goes,” Isner said.
“I think we’re certainly not scared.  We’re going to take the court believing we can win.  I think that’s the most important part more than anything else.  If you take the court with that belief, it could go a long way.”

 

Djokovic said the the tie is not all about him. “Team effort is a priority here, ” he said.  “Even if I win my both matches, it’s not going to be enough to win the tie.  So we need to win the 3 points.
“That’s what we came here for.  We are very glad to be in quarterfinals again.  Of course, USA is the most successful nation in this competition.  They have a lot of good players.  As you mentioned, Sam and John are the leaders of this team.  And, of course, Bryan brothers which are the all‑time best doubles pair.
“They are very strong.  They have chosen these conditions because they believe it’s going to go in their favor.  They have a strong serve.  With this altitude, it helps the serve more.
“But we played in these conditions before.  I played Sam and John, you know, in previous years few times.  I know their styles of the game.  This competition is very unique because you get to rely on the home support.  So it’s going to be quite different.  Obviously we going to have an extra motivation to play and win for our country.”

 

The winner of this tie will face either Canada or Italy in the World Group semifinals. Should the US beat Serbia, it will host Canada or travel to Italy. Although the US hosted the last tie against Canada in 1965, choice of ground was decided by lot if the previous meeting between the two nations was prior to 1970.

 

Schedule

All times Mountain Time

Friday, April 5, 2013 1:30 p.m.

Singles A: U.S. No. 1 vs. SRB No. 2 (or SRB No. 1 vs. U.S. No. 2)

Singles B: Opposite pairing of Singles A

 

Saturday, April 6, 2013 1:00 p.m.

Doubles

 

Sunday, April 7, 2013 12:00 p.m.

Singles C: U.S. No. 1 vs. SRB No. 1

Singles D: U.S. No. 2 vs. SRB No. 2

 

In the United States, the tie will air live on Tennis Channel.

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US Versus Serbia Davis Cup Tickets go on Sale February 27

 

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., February 20, 2013 – The USTA announced today that tickets for the 2013 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Quarterfinal between the United States and Serbia will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, February 27, at 10 a.m. MST.  An exclusive pre-sale for USTA members begins on Monday, February 25, at 10 a.m. MST and ends on Tuesday, February 26, at 11:59 p.m. MST (or while supplies last).  The best-of-five match series will be played at the Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho, April 5-7.

 

Ticket prices range from $90 to $500 and are sold as three-day packages ($30-$166 per day). Additional ticket fees apply. Tickets can be purchased:

**While a telephone number has been provided, the USTA strongly encourages using the online ticket method to order.

 

The best-of-five match series begins Friday, April 5, with two singles matches, featuring each country’s No. 1 player against the other country’s No. 2 player.  Saturday’s schedule features the pivotal doubles match.  The final day of play on Sunday will feature two “reverse singles” matches, when the No. 1 players square off followed by the No. 2 players meeting each other in the final match. All matches are best-of-five sets until one nation clinches the tie.

 

This will be the second consecutive home tie for the U.S. Davis Cup team after winning the 2013 World Group First Round in Jacksonville, Fla., against Brazil. This will be just the third home match as U.S. Davis Cup Captain for Jim Courier and just the fourth home tie for the U.S. since 2009.  In that time, the U.S. team has played seven road matches–all on clay.  The U.S. is 110-16 all-time in Davis Cup ties played at home. Idaho is the 34th state to host a U.S. Davis Cup tie.

 

This match will mark just the second meeting between the U.S. and Serbia in Davis Cup competition.  Serbia won the only meeting, 3-2, in the 2010 World Group First Round in Belgrade by a Novak Djokovic-led team. Serbia is only one of three countries to have a winning record against the U.S. Davis Cup Team. World No. 1 Djokovic has committed to playing in this quarterfinal.

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Serena Williams Leads US Fed Cup Squad Back Into World Group

 

The United States is back in the World Group of Fed Cup thanks to 5-0 sweep of Ukraine on an outdoor red clay court at the Superior Golf and Spa Resort in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

After leading 2-0 after Day One, Serena Williams opened play on Sunday and clinched the tie with a 6-3, 6-2, win over Lesia Tsurenko.

“It is good. I feel really good about it,” said Williams. “Now we are back in the World Group, where we wanted to be and it feels really good to get two points and that way Christina does not have too much pressure out there like she did for me yesterday.”

The win gives Williams an 8-0 record in her Fed Cup singles career in live rubbers.

“It is good to have Mary Joe (Fernandez US Fed Cup Captain) out there. I told her at the beginning of the week, whatever you want to tell me, tell me. I am all ears, I am all open and I am open to any suggestions. I am out there to learn. I feel like I am a kid learning. I haven’t accomplished everything. It is good to have a coach and different eyes out there.”

 

In the dead rubber singles match, Christina McHale won her fourth consecutive live rubber match in Fed Cup defeating Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-3.

“I am really happy with how this week went practice-wise and how the matches went. We have a lot of fun, the whole team does, the whole time. It has been a great week [in Ukraine].” said McHale.

“That was our goal to get back into the World Group. I think we are all really excited about that. We have had two really good ties this year, and I am really pleased with how they went.”

 

In doubles, Liezel Huber teamed up with Sloane Stephens to defeat Lyudmyla Kichenok and Nadiya Kichenok 6-4, 6-1 in a dead rubber. The doubles match also marks the first tie Stephens has ever played in Fed Cup. She served as a practice partner during the 2012 World Group II First Round against Belarus and was a non-playing team member during the 2010 World Group Semifinal versus Russia. Stephens is now the 12th youngest player to make her Fed Cup debut for the U.S team at 19 years, 1 month.

 

DAY/LOCAL TIME     MATCH             PAIRING

Singles A:              Christina McHale (USA)  def. Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3

Singles B:             Serena Williams (USA) def.  Elina Svitolina (UKR) 6-2, 6-1

Singles C:            Serena Williams (USA) def. Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) 6-3, 6-2

Singles D:             Christina McHale (USA) def. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 7-5. 6-3

Doubles:                Liezel Huber and Sloane Stephens (USA) def. Lyudmyla Kichenok

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US versus Ukraine in Fed Cup World Group Playoff this Weekend

The United States will face Ukraine in the 2012 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Playoffs. The official draw took place today to determine the order of play in the best-of-five match series. Below is a preview of this weekend’s match-up including the order of play and quotes following the draw.

 

Tennis Channel will present daily coverage beginning at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday and 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.

 

 

United States vs. Ukraine

Fed Cup by BNP Paribas 2012 World Group Playoff

Superior Golf & Spa Resort

Kharkiv, Ukraine * April 21-22

 

The United States will look to regain its Fed Cup World Group status for 2013 when it faces Ukraine at the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Playoff.  Play begins Saturday, April 21, at 11:30 a.m. local time on an outdoor clay court at the Superior Golf & Spa Resort in Kharkiv, Ukraine.  This is the first-ever meeting between these two nations in Fed Cup.

 

This will mark just the fourth time in Fed Cup history that the U.S. will compete in the World Group Playoff, and the U.S. is 2-1 in those ties.  The U.S. beat Japan 5-0 in 1997 in Chestnut Hill, Mass., and beat Israel 5-0 in 2002 in Springfield, Mo., before losing to Germany 5-0 in 2011 in Stuttgart.  Ukraine is 2-4 in six World Group Playoff ties since it began competing in Fed Cup in 1993, but won its last two Playoff ties, and will be seeking to begin 2013 in the World Group for the second consecutive year and third time overall.

 

The U.S. team will include Serena Williams, who will be joined by young Americans Christina McHale, Sloane Stephens, the daughter of the late New England Patriots running back John Stephens, and world No. 1 doubles player Liezel Huber. Jamie Hampton is also travelling with the team.

 

The opening day of play in the best-of-five match series features each country’s No. 1 singles player against the No. 2 player from the opposing country.  The exact order of play (which country’s No. 1 plays first) will be determined at the Draw Ceremony, which will be held on Friday, April 20.  The second day of competition begins on Sunday with the “reverse singles,” starting with each country’s No. 1 player squaring off followed by the No. 2 players and then the doubles match.  Each match is best-of-three-sets.

 

ORDER OF PLAY

 

DAY/LOCAL TIME     MATCH             PAIRING

Saturday, 11:30 a.m.      Singles A:              Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) vs. Christina McHale (USA)

Singles B:              Elina Svitolina (UKR) vs. Serena Williams (USA)

Sunday, 11:00 a.m.         Singles C:             Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) vs. Serena Williams (USA)

Singles D:             Elina Svitolina (UKR) vs. Christina McHale (USA)

Doubles:                Lyudmyla Kichenok and Nadiya Kichenok (UKR) vs. Liezel Huber and Sloane Stephens (USA)

QUOTES

 

U.S. Fed Cup Captain Mary Joe Fernandez

On Christina McHale opening the tie with the first singles match: “I think it is fantastic. Christina has now played a few Fed Cups. She has played both the first and second match. I think it is a good start for the team. As a player, I liked playing first and not knowing any results so I think it is a good thing for us.”

 

Christina McHale

On being selected to play the first singles match: “I have to be ready either way, whether I am playing first or second so I am just looking forward to playing tomorrow.”

 

Serena Williams

When asked about the order of play for singles and facing Lesia Tsurenko: “Like Christina said it doesn’t matter because you have to be ready anyway. I don’t know much about [Tsurenko] but Mary Joe has been able to tell me a few things about her and I am just going to go out there and try to play my game.”

 

Liezel Huber

On the U.S. being favored to win: “Anybody can win at any given time. I think experience is going to come into play. We don’t think of ourselves as underdogs or favorites because in tennis anything can happen at any time. Like Serena said, we are just going to play our game and hopefully they play great and so do we, to put on a good show for the fans.”

 

Quotes courtesy of the USTA

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Davis Cup: Looking Back at US vs France in 2002 at Roland Garros

Tennis Panorama News will be covering the Davis Cup quarterfinal tie this weekend between the United States and France being held at the Monte Carlo Country Club. We’re taking a look back at  past ties between the two countries.

 

2002 US Davis Cup Team (L-R Todd Martin, James Blake, Mardy Fish, Andy Roddick and Captain Patrick McEnroe)

By Guillaume Willecoq

 

2002, Davis Cup semifinals in Roland-Garros  (September 20-22) : France d. USA 3/2.

The French Tennis Federation pays tribute to the Musketeers hosting the tie in Roland-Garros. In the beginning, the French stadium was built in 1928 to receive the United States after the Musketeers won their first Davis Cup in Philadelphia. Seventy-five years later, France and USA face each other again at Roland-Garros.

 

The players:

France: The team built by Guy Forget is the current champion, and the captain brings the best line up possible: Sébastien Grosjean, 9th, as the leader, followed by Arnaud Clément, 42nd. The doubles team is a young Michaël Llodra with the almost veteran Fabrice Santoro. On clay, French players are the favorites of this tie.

 

USA: Since his arrival at the head of the US team, in 2000, Patrick McEnroe makes the choice of bringing new blood to the team. For this tie against France, he lines up three young guns: Andy Roddick (11th), James Blake (27th) and Mardy Fish (88th). The last guy is Todd Martin (still 51th), veteran of the glorious 90’s for the US tennis. The view from France – Roddick and Blake are a scary duo, with loads of potential! In seven matches, Roddick is still undefeated in Davis Cup.…

 

The tie :

Clément d. Roddick 4/6 7/6 7/6 6/1

Grosjean d. Blake 6/4 6/1 6/7 7/5

Blake - Martin d. Santoro – Llodra 2/6 7/6 2/6 6/4 6/4

Grosjean b. Roddick 6/4 3/6 6/3 6/4

Blake b. Clément 6/4 6/3

 

The quotes :

Sébastien Grosjean : “Before, I was struggling to give my best in Davis cup. I wanted to do too well for all the team and I didn”t play my best tennis. This time, I think this tie between France and USA was my best performance. I tried to play for myself on court, and only after I shared my joy with the rest of the team. It helps me to focus on myself on the court.”

Andy Roddick: “It hurts me. I’ve lived so many things not very funny this week, new sensations for me, and I will have to learn from it. Now, I think I will be better prepared to play difficult matches in Davis Cup… But the atmosphere here was absolutely fantastic. I hope some day I will live that with the US team !”

Arnaud Clément: “There is nothing more exciting than playing this match against Andy. I knew that if could run well, I would neutralize him on the baseline, and eventually drive him nuts !”

James Blake: ”It”s the biggest deception of my life. Really, losing a match in Davis Cup breaks your heart, particularly because I had my chances. I never felt so bad, but now I’m going home and try to forget. I look forward to do something well in this team in the future. It’s when I lose like this that I really want to go back to work harder. I’m going to do the gym.…It will look less painful than before.” 

Fabrice Santoro: “I would say that those kind of matches are the ones I enjoy the most. I really had fun during this doubles, even if we lost. You enter the Central of Roland-Garros, your team leads 2/0, the Central is packed from the start… There is something in the air!”

Michaël Llodra : “This loss against the Americans in doubles really hurt me a lot. The press said it was my fault if we lost, that maybe I shouldn’t have play, that I lacked experience. I took everything in the face and it took me sometime to get over it. But I bounced back… Since 2003, I was never out the team. It”s Davis Cup! There is a lot of pressure. It has made me stronger. “

 

Todd Martin – The End: Does he know? Probably. This France/USA tie is the last selection of the long career of Todd Martin. The American, who won the Davis Cup in 1995, is here to bring his experience for his young fellows. I did the perfect job during the doubles, with James Blake. The veteran made a strong impression about his knowledge and tennis culture in his news conferences, citing Decugis, Lacoste and Cochet as legends of the French tennis.

 

After that :

In December, in Bercy, the French will lose the final against the Russians. The end of a great period for that team: Guy Forget gets his first critics about the selection of young Paul-Henri Mathieu for the last rubber; the French captain splits with Fabrice Santoro a few months later; and, little by little, Escudé, Grosjean and Clément step down from the team during the following campaigns, to let young Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils and then Jo-Wilfried Tsonga take over. Three time finalist in four years between 1999 and 2002, it will take 8 years for the French team to reach another final.

On the other hand, this tie starts a new chapter for the US team. Roddick and Blake take the lead of the group, joined by Bob and Mike Bryans in 2003. They will be the hard core team for almost ten years, occasionally joined by Mardy Fish. They will reach the final in 2004, and most of all win the title in 2007.

Tennis Panorama News is covering the Davis Cup between the United States and France this week taking place at the Monte Carlo Country Club from April 6-8.  Look out for updates here and on twitter @TennisNewsTPN.

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