TENNIS: U.S. LOOKING TO SNAP DROUGHT.Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer The U.S. Davis Cup Davis Cup: see tennis. Davis Cup Trophy awarded to the winning team of an international tennis tournament for men. It was donated in 1900 by Dwight F. tennis team will try to move past last year's disappointment by facing Romania in the first round of the 2006 competition, beginning today at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Opened in 1935, the [La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club]View Website is a premiere private social club located on the shores of the exclusive La Jolla area of San Diego, California. . Andy Roddick Andrew Stephen "Andy" Roddick (born August 30, 1982) is an American professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. He is the top-ranked American player and fifth-ranked player in the world as of October 1, 2007. He finished sixth in the 2006 ATP Race. , the No. 3 singles player in the world, is joined by James Blake
``The sport's ultimate honor, whether it be the Olympics or any other international competition, is to be asked to represent your country,'' Roddick said. ``I think it's a pretty big deal, and I think that's why all of us up here are so committed to the Davis Cup cause.'' The team hasn't represented the country well in recent years. Although the United States has dominated the 105-year-old global battle with 31 titles, the nation is in the middle of a 10-year drought, equaling its worst stretch of Davis Cup play from the 1920s and 1930s. Last year, the team lost in a shocking first-round upset to Croatia at the team lost in a shocking first-round upset to Croatia at the Home Depot The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services. Headquartered in Vinings, just outside Atlanta in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, Home Depot employs more than 355,000 people and operates 2,164 big-box Center in Carson. Croatia went on to win its first Davis Cup title. Captain Patrick McEnroe Patrick McEnroe (born July 1, 1966) is an American former professional tennis player and the present Captain of the United States Davis Cup team. Born in Manhasset, New York, he is the younger brother of tennis legend John McEnroe. hopes a more experienced Davis Cup team leads to a coming-of-age story at this year's competition. Roddick and Blake were young guns getting their first taste of Davis Cup play when McEnroe took control of the team in 2001. Now they have 36 international matches between them. ``When I took over, all these guys were really, really raw when they came to play for their country,'' McEnroe said. ``... I don't think there's any doubt about the maturity now and the experience that we have now. Now it's a question of doing it and performing.'' The format for the Davis Cup provides for a best-of-five contest between the nations. Roddick will try to get the U.S. off to a good start at 10:30 a.m. today in the first match against Romania's Andre Pavel, ranked No. 82 in the world. Blake, ranked No. 20 and coming off a hot summer that included a quarterfinals run at the U.S. Open, will follow by facing No. 41 Victor Hanescu. On Saturday, the Bryan brothers, the No. 1 doubles team in the world and winners of the Australian Open last month, will take on Pavel and Hanescu. Roddick and Blake are scheduled to exchange partners for Sunday's matches. Matthew Kredell, (818)713-3607 matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com |
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