BASEL, Switzerland -- The United States team and new captain
Patrick McEnroe could make a historic exit -- or comeback -- in the
Davis Cup.
|  | | Jan-Michael Gambill, left, and Justin Gimelstob talk strategy during their Davis Cup doubles match Saturday. |
The Americans trail Switzerland 2-1 and face first-round
elimination for the first time since 1993 in the best-of-five
series after the Swiss pair of Roger Federer and Lorenzo Manta
defeated Jan-Michael Gambill and Justin Gimelstob 6-4, 6-2, 7-5
Saturday.
American Davis Cup teams have rallied five times after trailing
2-1 going into Sunday's two singles. The first American captain to
bring his team back was Richard Norris Williams in 1934.
Last year, the U.S. team captained by McEnroe's fiery older
brother, John, rallied twice in beating Zimbabwe and the Czech
Republic. But the elder McEnroe had Andre Agassi for both matches
and Pete Sampras for one.
This time, the younger McEnroe has neither. In addition, veteran
Todd Martin is injured and doubtful for Sunday after hurting his
back in a Friday singles loss to Federer.
It might all be academic as the U.S. seeks a record 32nd Davis
Cup title.
The 19-year-old Federer, one of the top young talents in the
game, could oust the U.S. in Sunday's first singles against
Gambill. He's 2-0 against Gambill and is fresh from winning his
first ATP tour event last week.
"The confidence is there," Federer said after keying the Swiss
win Saturday. "You can take more risks when you're confident. We
were playing well. I took some chances and every time it paid
off."
Swiss captain Jakob Hlasek -- a former doubles partner of John
McEnroe -- tried not to sound overconfident. The Swiss have never
won the Davis Cup and reached the final only once.
"It's a very good position to be in, but we expected from the
start that it might go to the last match," Hlasek said.
The '93 American team had similar problems to this year's team.
After winning the Davis Cup in 1992, Jim Courier, Sampras, Agassi
and John McEnroe refused to play, and the U.S. lost to Australia
with a team led by Brad Gilbert and David Wheaton.
Also without his stars this time, Patrick McEnroe defended his
losing doubles team, which was playing together for the first time
since August 1989, when they won the USTA under-12 championship.
"A lot of times in doubles it takes one game to turn it
around," he said. "I felt we were close to that happening, but it
didn't happen. We didn't come up with it today, but we've got a
couple more matches to go."
Gimelstob and Gambill both blamed their returns. "We didn't
return very well, especially me," Gambill said.
Gimelstob said, "We didn't make them play enough balls on
return."
If Sunday's second singles still matters and Martin can't play
against Michel Kratochvil, McEnroe will use 18-year-old Andy
Roddick. Roddick, the world's top junior last year, has never
played a Davis Cup match.
"If he (Martin) is not ready to go, we'll put Andy in there and
he'll be ready," McEnroe said. "He's been preparing for this
possibility and hopefully we'll get to that."
"It's a game-time decision if he plays," U.S. Tennis
Association spokesman Randy Walker said of Martin. Martin had an
MRI Saturday that showed no structural damage to the lower back or
spine.
The Swiss, playing well as a team with the Americans unable to
return serve consistently and volleying erratically, broke in the
third game of the first set when Gambill hit a volley long.
The Americans, who never managed to break the Swiss during the
three sets, had only one breakpoint -- in the second set -- and
failed to capitalize.
The Swiss broke in the fifth game of the second set after
Gambill hit a volley wide. They broke again in the seventh, when
Gimelstob hit a volley long.
In the final set, the Swiss broke in the 11th game, converting
on their third breakpoint of the game when Gambill netted a
forehand volley. Then, Federer served out the match.
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Ecuador upsets Australia in epic doubles match
Brazil first team to reach quarterfinals
France leads Belgium 3-0 to book second round berth
Swedes win doubles to lead Czechs 2-1
Russia leads Slovakia 2-1 after doubles victory
Romania win doubles to lead Germany 2-1
Gambill pulls U.S. even against Switzerland
U.S. Davis Cup team suffers growing pains
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