| U.S. and Spain Out in Davis Cup First Round | |
Dateline: 02/11/01
Switzerland's Roger Federer won all three of his matches against the U.S. in Davis Cup action in Basel this weekend to almost single-handedly carry his nation to a 3-2 victory. Federer clinched the Swiss win with a 7-5, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Jan-Michael Gambill. He had defeated Todd Martin 6-4, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-1 in singles, then joined with Lorenzo Manta to beat Justin Gimelstob and Jan-Michael Gambill 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 in doubles. The Swiss crowd was solidly behind the 19-year-old, and he now clearly becomes their top male player, eclipsing Marc Rosset, who refused to play Davis Cup.
This was a rough debut for U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe, but no one is blaming him. By all accounts, he has been well received by the team. The top U.S. players, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, both declined to play, and Todd Martin, the next strongest contender, injured his back in the first round Friday. The U.S. did salvage two singles wins, though, with Gambill defeating Michel Kratochvil 6-3, 7-5, 6-4, and Andy Roddick beating George Bastl, 6-3, 6-4. (The singles matches that no longer effect the final result are best of three sets.)
Spain nearly suffered a complete sweep at the hands of the Dutch team in Eindhoven. Carlos Moya saved them that embarrassment on Sunday by edging past Raemon Sluiter 6-4, 7-6 (2). The Spaniards had won their first ever Davis Cup championship last year, but the Dutch were more comfortable on their homeland's fast indoor courts for this first round than were the clay-loving Spanish. The 4-1 match total for the Dutch is less overwhelming than it seems, though, as each of the matches was fairly close: Raemon Sluiter edged past Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7), 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4. Sjeng Schalken won in straight, but close sets over Carlos Moya 6-4, 7-5, 6-4. Jan Siemerink defeated Juan Balcells 6-7 (9), 6-4, 7-6 (5), and Paul Haarhuis and Sjeng Schalken overcame Alex Corretja and Juan Balcells 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3), 7-6(10).
The Dutch will face Germany in the next round, the Swiss will go against France.
