Unified Americans face challenges
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Sweden gave the United States a present on Sunday when they upset Australia. The Americans will play the Swedes at home in April rather than traveling to face the defending champion Aussies.
That's important because under U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe's leadership, the team hasn't lost a tie at home.
The heavily favored Americans swept Austria 5-0 at home this weekend. After losing in the first round last year overseas, McEnroe has his eyes set on bringing the Cup, which the United States has won 31 times, back home.
"It's nice to get through the first one, but certainly my goal coming into this year wasn't winning the first round," McEnroe said. "I think we can win it. I think we can win the whole thing. Obviously, it's going to get tougher each match, but I am happy to be moving forward. I didn't want to lose in the first round at home, that's for sure."
McEnroe wouldn't say what venues the United States is considering yet for the next tie on April 9-11. The surface, however, will likely be a slow hard court, he said.
"I'm ecstatic it is in the United States," Andy Roddick said. "And we don't have to play all the way down to Australia and then adjust to the time change, then come back and play the next week on clay and adjust to the time change, that would have been a little bit of a struggle. Anywhere in the States is good for me, compared to the other option."
Sweden, lead by captain and hall-of-famer Mats Wilander, won't necessarily be a pushover. Thomas Enqvist, ranked No. 78 in the world, upset No. 9 Mark Philippoussis of Australia and then No. 28 Jonas Bjorkman defeated Philippoussis in the reverse singles. Even more surprising, the Swedes took out one of the best doubles players in the world, Todd Woodbridge, who, along with Wayne Arthurs, fell in five sets.
"Sweden, they remind me a little bit of the French teams that have done well recently," Roddick said, "because they have good doubles players and people they can interchange according to the matchup. ... They are very sneaky in that aspect."
"Sweden is very tough," McEnroe agreed. "They have great tradition in Davis Cup. The last time they played us, they beat us five-zip in Davis Cup. So, these guys, personally, don't remember that, but I will try to remind them of it over the next couple of months."
It wasn't any match either. It was the final of Davis Cup in 1997 with Pete Sampras and Michael Chang (who lost to Bjorkman) playing for the United States.
"I think we are going to take advantage of our quickness, our mobility, which I think overall is a little better than theirs," McEnroe said. "Certainly, I think, we would be the favorite in the doubles, although they have a great doubles player in Bjorkman."
If the United States gets past Sweden, they'll face either Belarus, which defeated a Russian team without Marat Safin, or Argentina in an away match for the semifinals.
Argentina at home is a country no team wants to meet. Expect a raucous crowd and the tie to most likely be played on clay. Although the Argentines have an excellent fast-surface player in David Nalbandian, who is able to give Roddick a hard time. Argentina also has the No. 4 player in the world in Guillermo Coria, a top-20 player in Augstin Calleri and, inside the top 35, Mario Zabaleta and Gaston Gaudio.
On the other side of the draw for a potential final opponent is Switzerland and the one-man team of Roger Federer.
So, McEnroe's hope of winning it all this year will not be an easy task. Helping him out, though, is a tight-knit group of Americans who want to play and win.
"I don't know what the future holds, but I am very committed to playing Davis Cup," Roddick said. "I love the guys that I'm with. That has a lot to do with it for me, as well. I think we are a lot more -- we are a closer unit than that team was. So I really feel an obligation not only to play for my country but to play for the other guys, as well."
"Andy gets the whole thing," said McEnroe, addressing why Roddick played a match that meant nothing on Sunday. "He gets the big picture. He gets his responsibility to the game. ... I think he's also got his sights on trying to make some Davis Cup history in his career. So, he has got to win a lot of matches to do that. I think he knows that."
He is counting on Roddick and doubles specialists Mike and Bob Bryan to help them win. The final singles spot on the team will continue to rotate through James Blake, Taylor Dent, Mardy Fish and Robby Ginepri, depending on who is playing best at the time on the surface chosen for the next tie.
McEnroe was happy about the breakthrough Ginepri had by winning a tough five-set match on Friday.
"In a way, I'm sorta pleased that Robby had to have the match he had," McEnroe said. "Looking back, I am sure he's not, but I think ... it's a big step for him to win a match like that, to be under that type of pressure and come through. And not play his best early in the match and come back and finish as strong as he did."
Ginepri, for one, is in.
"Any time Pat gives me a shot, I am going to say, 'Yes,'" Ginepri said. "I am always looking for opportunities. He knows that I am there for him any time he needs me. I think that's the case with the three or four other guys are, as well, and that's a plus for Patrick, whenever he wants to go to somebody, he knows that they are going to be there."
Their unity even impressed Austria's Jurgen Melzer.
"They seem very together," Melzer said. "They are all close friends, even Mardy Fish was here the whole week, so I think they enjoy playing Davis Cup, and if they compete like this, the whole thing, they can win it."
"It was a dominating performance overall for us," McEnroe said. "That gives me a lot of confidence. Obviously, it is going to get a lot tougher from here, but I'm pretty pleased."
Cynthia Faulkner is the tennis editor for ESPN.com.
