Davis Cup Conundrum

Karlovic of Croatia celebrates win over Blake in the first rubber of the Croatia-USA tie

Two days into this year's Davis Cup Quarterfinals and there are a number of surprises. For one, who would've thought the unheralded Israeli team could knock off the mighty, or not so mighty rather, Russians in a relatively straightforward 3-0 sweep after the first two days. For the other three matches all of the host countries lead the series 2-1 heading into the final day of singles matches.

CZECH REPUBLIC leads ARGENTINA 2-1
Venue: CEZ Arena, Ostrava (hard - indoors)
Tomas Berdych (CZE) d. Juan Monaco (ARG) 64 26 26 63 62
Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) d. Ivo Minar (CZE) 61 63 63
Tomas Berdych/Radek Stepanek (CZE) d. Jose Acasuso/Leonardo Mayer (ARG) 61 64 63 Tomas Berdych (CZE) v Juan Martin del Potro (ARG)
Ivo Minar (CZE) v Juan Monaco (ARG)

Going into the final day of play the clear question is whether or not Radek Stepanek will be playing. After playing in the doubles match and easily dispatching the sacrificial lamb team of Acasuso/Mayer, one wonders whether or not Stepanek will replace the lowly Ivo Minar. Most likely, if Stepanek does not play, the Czechs are doomed as Juan Martin del Potro and Juan Monaco could very easily dispatch their opponents. However, if Stepanek does play Monaco the match will end up becoming the decider. Either way I still think Argentina pulls out the victory here. Hopefully for them, their sacrificed doubles rubber won't come back to bite them in the backside.


CROATIA leads USA 2-1
Venue: Sportska Dvorana Zatika , Porec (clay - indoors)
Ivo Karlovic (CRO) d. James Blake (USA) 67(5) 46 63 76(3) 75
Marin Cilic (CRO) d. Mardy Fish (USA) 46 63 67(3) 61 86
Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) d. Roko Karanusic/Lovro Zovko (CRO) 63 61 63
Marin Cilic (CRO) v James Blake (USA)
Ivo Karlovic (CRO) v Mardy Fish (USA)

On the opening day, both Ivo Karlovic and Marin Cilic posted impressive 5 set victories over their American opponents. Notably, James Blake led Karlovic by two sets to love before losing the next three sets to the big serving Croat. After these nailbiting singles, and Bob and Mike Bryan blitzed their Croatian opponents in 68 minutes. After looking at the scoreboard for the match I thought it was an error. A 68 minute three set match? That's 25 games played at an average speed of less than 3 minutes per game. Going into the final day of singles I have no idea what to expect. Blake is not the most reliable player in live Davis Cup rubbers, (but you can count on him to win those dead rubbers!) and Cilic is the far superior clay court player. If Blake can pull the upset, however, Fish and Karlovic is a toss-up. Simply put, America has not come back from an 0-2 deficit to win a tie in over 50 years, and I can't see this line-up pulling off the comeback.


SPAIN leads GERMANY 2-1
Venue: Plaza de Toros de Puerto Banus, Marbella (clay - outdoors)
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) d. Andreas Beck (GER) 60 36 67(4) 62 61
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) d. Tommy Robredo (ESP) 63 64 64
Feliciano Lopez/Fernando Verdasco (ESP) d. Nicolas Kiefer/Mischa Zverev (GER) 63 76(1) 67(6) 63
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) v Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)
Tommy Robredo (ESP) v Andreas Beck (GER)

The Spanish duo of Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco may have been the deciding victory for the host country, as Germany will be forced to sweep the remaining singles matches to win the tie. Sure, Phillipp Kohlschreiber could upset Verdasco in singles, as he played a solid match to dispatch Tommy Robredo on the opening day. But can Andreas Beck really knock out Robredo? He played well enough to win two sets off an inconsistent Verdasco in the opening rubber, but the sets he did lose were by the scores of 6-0, 6-2, and 6-1. Even without some top players like Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer, Spain should advance past Germany after winning at least one of the remaining two singles matches.


ISRAEL defeated RUSSIA 3-0
Venue: Nokia Stadium, Tel Aviv (hard – indoors)

Harel Levy (ISR) d. Igor Andreev (RUS) 64 62 46 62
Dudi Sela (ISR) d. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 36 61 60 75
Jonathan Erlich/Andy Ram (ISR) d. Igor Kunitsyn/Marat Safin (RUS) 63 64 67(3) 46 64
Dudi Sela (ISR) v Igor Andreev (RUS)
Harel Levy (ISR) v Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)

Wow. Who would have predicted Israel easily beating Russia after two days? Not I, certainly. Sure, I am not that shocked by Dudi Sela's defeat over an injury plagued Mikhail Youzhny, but Igor Andreev losing a relatively straightforward match to Harel Levy? That's a shocking upset that should not have happened. The main problem with the Russian squad this year is the absence of Nikolay Davydenko who should have been there with his team to possibly lead them to victory. The one played on team Russia that I am impressed with is Marat Safin, who despite pitiful singles performances throughout the year fought back with his partner Igor Kunitsyn before barely losing to a top doubles team on tour, Erlich and Ram.


Hopefully the excitement and surprises continue this weekend as the remaining 6 countries battle it out for three spots to join Israel in the Davis Cup semifinals!