BASEL, Switzerland – Picking up where his older brother
left off, Patrick McEnroe discovered the perils of playing Davis
Cup tennis without his country's best players.
The United States was eliminated from the opening round of the
showcase event Sunday for the first time since 1993, losing 3-2 to
Switzerland in McEnroe's first series since being appointed captain
in December.
|  | | U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe, right, looks pensive as he talks to Jan-Michael Gambill during Gambill's match against Roger Federer of Switzerland on Sunday. |
Leading 2-1 entering the final day, the Swiss got the clinching
victory from Roger Federer, who defeated Jan-Michael Gambill 7-5,
6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
"It was just total relief, total happiness at one time,"
Federer said. "I was so happy for the team, happy for Switzerland,
to beat such a big country."
The victory gave Switzerland an insurmountable lead in the
best-of-five series, before Andy Roddick beat George Bastl 6-3, 6-4
in the final match. The Swiss, who have never won the Davis Cup,
play France in the next round.
The United States has won the Davis Cup a record 31 times, and
this was the fifth time the Americans have made such an early exit.
John McEnroe captained the United States last year when the
Americans were swept in the semifinals by Spain. He quit in November
amid frustrations about the tournament's format and his inability
to persuade the top U.S. players to compete.
The Americans, playing without stars Andre Agassi and Pete
Sampras and relying on youth and 30-year-old Todd Martin, learned
again their B team isn't good enough.
"We came here and we had a great week practicing," Gambill
said. "You couldn't have a better captain than Patrick. He's great
and he's saying all the right things to me out there, but Roger
simply played better than I did today."
Still, McEnroe intends to stick with youth when the Americans
play in September in a must-win series to return to the World Group
-- the elite 16 of Davis Cup. Possible opponents in the April 11
draw include Finland, Argentina or Belgium.
"It's time to start looking to the future," McEnroe said.
"Exactly what that means I haven't decided yet. I'm going to take
a team that's young, yes, but that can win the match."
After Federer ended the match with an ace, he dropped to his
knees. Seconds later he was engulfed by teammates and fans, with
the 19-year-old Swiss toweling away tears. Only a champagne
stubborn cork, which took several minutes to remove, slowed the
celebration. The last time a player defeated the United States in every matchs was in 1976.
"It was a very special match today," said Federer, who was
playing his eighth match in 10 days. "I was playing OK, nothing
unbelievable, trying to break his rhythm. Plus, I was hurt, my leg
was hurting. It was such a relief in the end I had to cry. It was a
feeling I've never had before."
|  | | Switzerland's Roger Federer celebrates a point against his U.S. opponent Jan-Michael Gambill on Sunday. The victory advances Switzerland to face France in the quarterfinals. |
Federer, before a hometown crowd of 5,000, was cheered all match
by fans waving red and white Swiss flags and encouraged by
handwritten banners like: "Hopp Roger (Go Roger)" and "Wir
Gratulieren (We Congratulate You)."
They could have added: "Auf wiedersehen, USA."
Gambill played well enough to beat some players, but Federer was
too good.
"Things just didn't go right for me on a few points. In that
first set I had set point, I ripped a forehand into the corner and
he came up with the slimiest lob I've ever seen. ... You got to
hand it to him."
Last season, the United States twice trailed 2-1 entering
Sunday's singles – but they had Agassi both times, against Zimbabwe
and the Czech Republic, and Sampras for one. This time both
declined to play.
"This is the team we have," Gambill said. "These are the guys
who want to play Davis Cup. ... We gave it our all, we gave it 100
percent. You really can't do any more than that."
Sunday's opening match was virtually decided in the first set.
Gambill was unable to convert three set points in the 10th game.
Each time, Federer responded and showed the form that gave him his
first ATP title a week ago.
Federer, who won his opening singles on Friday over Martin and
keyed Saturday's doubles victory with Lorenzo Manta against Gambill and
Justin Gimelstob, sensed victory and broke twice in the second set
to win 6-2.
Gambill didn't fold, however, playing a gutsy third set. In the
fourth set, Federer was unrelenting. He broke in the third game to
lead 2-1, then again in the seventh game to lead 5-2 and served out
the match.
The 1993 U.S. team was defending the cup when it lost in the
first round to Australia with a team led by Brad Gilbert and David
Wheaton. Refusing to play for the Americans were Jim Courier,
Sampras, Agassi and John McEnroe.
Roger Federer scored
an emotional 7-5, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 victory against Jan-Michael Gambill on
Sunday as underdog Switzerland produced a shock and historic
3-2 Davis Cup victory against the United States.
Federer's success had handed the Swiss an unbeatable 3-1
lead, marking the home side's first Davis Cup victory over the
Americans.
It was only the fifth time the U.S., the most successful
country in Davis Cup history with 31 titles, had crashed out in
the opening round.
The Americans salvaged the meaningless final match when Andy
Roddick defeated George Bastl, 6-3, 6-4.
They had not stumbled at the first hurdle since 1993 when
they lost an opening round tie to Australia.
A confident Federer, fresh off his first career ATP title,
weathered a third-set comeback by Gambill to see the Alpine
nation through to the quarterfinal round where they will meet France.
When Federer closed out the tie with a thundering ace, he
dropped to his knees, covered his face and broke into tears as
the crowd gave the local hero a rousing standing ovation.
While grim-faced U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe looked on,
Federer's team mates hoisted him on to their shoulders and
paraded the teenager around the St Jakobshalle to the clang of
cowbells and continuing applause.
"It was a very special match for me," Federer said. "I was
playing OK but not unbelievable. I was trying to break his
rhythm and my legs were hurting.
"I was really fighting.
"When it was over it was such a relief. I had to cry, it was
such a nice feeling I never had before.
Relieved and happy
"Unbelievable is the only word. It was just total relief and
happiness at the same time.
"I was just so happy for the team, happy for Switzerland to
beat such a big country."
Federer's performance underlined his status as one to the
sport's brightest young talents and confirmed the 19-year-old as
Switzerland's Davis Cup anchor.
With Marc Rosset still refusing to play for Switzerland,
Federer has quickly moved in to fill the leadership vacuum,
opening the tie with a victory against Todd Martin then joining
forces with Lorenzo Manta for a straight sets doubles win.
"One guy (Federer) dominated tie, a great player who came
into his own this week," said McEnroe, after his losing
Davis Cup debut. "The guy has a lot of game.
"For a guy to pull it off that young is impressive.
"I was surprised. I knew he could play well, but I didn't
realize he had that potential to be a great, great player."
The Americans began the reverse singles confident they could
make a comeback, having rallied from 1-2 deficits five times
before to claim wins.
Unable to come back
Last year, the U.S. team, captained by Patrick's older
brother John McEnroe, dodged the bullet twice clawing back to
beat the Czech Republic and Zimbabwe.
But on both occasions, the elder McEnroe was able to call on
Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras on another.
This time the burden fell on Gambill, who was winless
against Federer in two head-to-head meetings.
After trading early breaks, Gambill and Federer battled
through a tight opening set that took 57 minutes.
The 23-year-old American had a glorious opportunity to put
the pressure on Federer but squandered three set points at 5-4.
The Swiss quickly made his opponent pay for his failure,
getting the decisive break the very next game and holding serve
to go 1-0 up.
The lost opportunity appeared to deflate Gambill, as Federer
broke the American again at 2-2 in the second, sweeping five
straight games.
Gambill continued to battle in the third and was finally
rewarded for his persistence when he broke Federer at 5-4 to
take the set.
But Federer, urged on by the crowd, quickly regrouped and
dominated the fourth set breaking Gambill in the third and
seventh games to nail down the tie,
"Roger simply played better than I did today," Gambill said.
"I worked my ass off out there, I tried as hard as I could.
"Things just didn't go right on a few points.
"In the first set I had set point and ripped a forehand into
the corner and he came up with the slimmest lob I've ever seen.
"He was just too good."  Send this story to a friend |
|
ALSO SEE
Davis Cup results
France routs Belgium 5-0
Australia beats Ecuador in first round of Davis Cup
Sweden edges out Czech Republic 3-2
Germany takes both singles matches to advance
Kafelnikov comeback gives Russia 3-2 Davis Cup win
Dutch complete 4-1 victory against sorry Spain
Brazil wins tie 4-1 to set up repeat of last year's semi
Gambill pulls U.S. even against Switzerland
Swiss win doubles, take 2-1 lead over U.S. in Davis Cup
U.S. Davis Cup team suffers growing pains
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Despite being eliminated, captain Patrick McEnroe remains optimistic about the future of the U.S. team.
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