Davis Cup fever!
This weekend saw Australia and Spain, as most expected, clinch berths in the Davis Cup final. But there were plenty of dramatics before each tie was decided.
Hewitt foils Federer, sinks Swiss
Australia was attempting to put an end to the great run of Switzerland, which with Roger Federer leading the way had been close to a one man show. The Wimbledon champion had arrived in Melbourne with a streak of eight straight singles wins. Not only that, the Swiss shotmaker had won 26 consecutive sets. The last set he had lost was to Arnaud Clément in the 2001 quarterfinals against France, and the last match he had dropped was in that same tie, to Nicolas Escudé.
But the Aussies had a clutch Davis Cup performer of their own in Lleyton Hewitt, who boasted a 20-5 Davis Cup record. The last player to have beaten Hewitt, ironically, was also Escudé, in the 2001 final won by France.
After the stars of their respective teams cruised to straight set wins on Friday, the stage was set for the crucial doubles point. Australian captain John Fitzgerald opted for his veteran doubles side, Wayne Arthurs / Todd Woodbridge, while Swiss captain Marc Rosset, as he did in the quarterfinal win over France inserted himself in the lineup alongside Federer. Initially, Rosset appeared to have found the winning strategy. Switzerland rolled to a two sets to one
lead when a wobbly Woodbridge, who had just been clocked in the ear by his partner?s shot, lost serve late in the third set.
But the Aussies had not said their last word. Arthurs, who played a strong match, led his team back to take the fourth set. Then in the fifth, Federer lost his serve in the seventh game, and the Swiss could never make up the break. Australia would head into Sunday with the precious lead, giving Hewitt a chance to clinch it in the first reverse singles rubber.
According to reports from Down Under, Hewitt prepared for the big match by watching a tape of David Nalbandian?s defeat of Federer at the U.S. Open this year. If Hewitt picked up any pointers from the video session, it was not evident in the early stages, as the Swiss was totally dominant. ?His tennis racquet is like a magic wand,? marvelled Fitzgerald. Federer raced to a 7-5 6-2, 5-3 lead and served for the match. But he faltered, and Hewitt stormed back to force a tie-break that he won 7-4 with a spec
tacular low volley.
The comeback was on, and a tired and discouraged Federer was never the same from this point on. After the third set he took a break to get his "heavy legs" massaged, and Hewitt knew he had a vulnerable opponent on the other side of the net. The Aussie wisely changed his source of inspiration from Nalbandian to Pat Cash. A tape of Cash?s 1986 Davis Cup comeback win against Henri Leconte is also part of Hewitt?s video collection. ?I know every single shot in that match," Hewitt said. It was all Hewitt the
rest of the way, and his 5-7 2-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 6-1 clinched a berth in the final for Australia.
Ghastly Gaudio meets Marvellous Moya in Malaga
The other semifinal pitted the world?s top clay court nations, Spain and Argentina, in a showdown in Malaga, on Spain?s beautiful Costa del Sol. Fittingly, a Costa -- Albert -- was on hand as one of Spain?s doubles players, as were two other former French Open champions (Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya), and a two-time French Open finalist (Alex Corretja).
Argentina was forced to face this powerhouse without its two best performers, top ten standouts Guillermo Coria and David Nalbandian. Both were hobbled by post-U.S. Open injuries. But with Davis Cup stalwart Gastón Gaudio and 24th-ranked Mariano Zabaleta available for singles duty, Gustavo Luza?s Argentine?s still had hopes of surprising the powerful Spanish side.
Things certainly started badly on Friday, a day the Argentine press was to call ?viernes negro? (Black Friday). Gaudio turned in a miserable performance and was totally dominated by the world number one Ferrero, 6-4, 6-0, 6-0. It looked like Zabaleta might level the series against Moya when he started imperially and sped to a 7-5, 6-2 lead. But Zabaleta inexplicably started to cramp in the third set, a surprisingly early juncture for problems of this kind. Hobbling for the rest of the match, Zabaleta
was easy prey for Moya, and Carlos finished off his opponent with little difficulty, 5-7, 2-6, 6-2, 6-0, 6-1.
It looked as though the demoralized Argentines would bow out meekly. But the unheralded Agustín Calleri rode to the rescue, partnering Lucas Arnold to a doubles win before, shockingly, overwhelming Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6-4, 7-5, 6-1, as a substitute for the hobbled Zabaleta. The tie was now level, and Gaudio had a chance to redeem himself for his drubbing on Friday against Moya, who had looked vulnerable on opening day.
Sadly for Argentina, Gaudio turned in a performance that was a bit better than Friday?s, but was still pretty dismal. And happily for Spain, Moya played top quality tennis and was rarely worried in a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 romp. ?I just played so well, so focused, it was incredible,? gushed Moya. ?This has done wonders for my confidence.? ?You want me to say that all the blame for this falls on me? I?m saying it, there you go,? lamented the downcast Gaudio, who now may never be summoned for Davis Cup singles du
ty again. And the Argentine press speculates that captain Luza, who is not on good terms with some key players -- notably Coria -- may get the sack.
The Spain-Australia final will be a rematch of the 2000, won by Spain at home on clay. This time the duel will take place in Melbourne, almost certainly on grass. With this year?s Wimbledon runner-up Mark Philippoussis and 2002 Wimbledon champion Hewitt leading the way, the Aussies will be heavy favourites. Hopefully the final will not be a one-sided anti-climax after the semifinal dramatics.
This weekend also saw the playoff matches to determine 8 of the 16 teams that will compete for the Davis Cup in the World Group. As a result of the action, two unusual names will be among the elite nations next year. Belarus, led by Max Mirnyi, who won both his singles matches and participated in a doubles win as well against Rainer Schuettler?s Germany, will be in the World Group for the first time. And Canada, spearheaded by doubles ace Daniel Nestor?s singles win over Gustavo Kuerten and a fifth-rubbe
r win by talented teenager Frank Dancevic over Flavio Saretta, surprised Brazil and will make a return to the elite after an eleven-year absence.
But before we see what 2004 brings, let?s rendezvous in Melbourne in November for this year?s final shall we?