Young guns lead U.S. in Davis Cup
Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi proved at the U.S. Open that they are not yet willing to pass the torch to the next generation of American tennis players -- except in the Davis Cup, that is.
Newly crowned U.S. Open champion Sampras and runner-up Agassi both turned down captain Patrick McEnroe's invitations to go to Paris for this weekend's Davis Cup semi-final tie with France, leaving the job to young guns Andy Roddick, James Blake and Mardy Fish.
U.S. hopes of reaching the December final will rest squarely on the shoulders of Roddick and Blake but McEnroe is not complaining.
"It is time for the younger guys to sort of take the baton and run with it," said McEnroe when he announced his team. "This is another step in that process, and a big step. We're relying on them.
"We're the team now. This is our team. We loved having Pete the first couple of rounds this year. He brought a lot to the table with who he is, what he's done, what we've just seen him do.
"But, you know what, it's time for the young guys to step up.
"This is a big stage. It's at Roland Garros. It's a semi-final. I think they're ready to take another step.
"I'm really excited about it because I think they obviously will feed off the energy that they all had at the U.S. Open.
BEST START
"It was a great experience for them. I think Andy has learned a lot from what happened to him in the last couple of U.S. Opens.
"To me it's really a giant step forward, the opportunity for these young guys to go out there."
Leading the Americans in Paris will be the hard-hitting Roddick, who is unbeaten in Davis Cup singles play with a record of 7-0, equalling the best start for a U.S. Davis Cup player in singles since Agassi went 7-0 in 1988 and 1989.
Hailed as the future of American men's tennis, Roddick has lived up to that billing with varying degrees of success.
The 20-year-old Roddick has three career tournament wins and reached the quarter-finals at the U.S. Open for the last two years, becoming the youngest men's quarter-finalist since Agassi in 1988. He was mauled by Sampras in the last eight this year.
But Roddick has not yet had that breakthrough tournament that many had predicted.
Blake, who took Lleyton Hewitt to five sets in the third round of the U.S. Open before falling to the world number one, is also unbeaten with a Davis Cup record of 5-0 (3-0 in singles).
While the 31-year-old Sampras stunned the tennis world when he defied the odds, age and an army of critics to claim a fifth U.S. Open title with a stirring victory over Agassi, there were legitimate concerns as to whether the man considered the greatest ever to swing a racket could match that success on the Paris clay in the Davis Cup.
FRESH LEGS
Sampras's U.S. Open victory was his first tournament win in more than two years, a drought stretching back to Wimbledon 2000, and gave him an unprecedented 14th career grand slam.
But Sampras's 14 titles do not include a victory at Roland Garros, where the Americans will face the French defending champions in a Davis Cup tie for the first time in 70 years.
"Let's be honest, as great as Pete is, it's not a lock to have Pete play on clay," said McEnroe. "James and Andy have both had great results on clay and can play well.
"They'll have fresh legs. You know, to me that's the key.
"So, no, I didn't put Pete up against the wall and say: 'You've got to come'.
"I don't feel that's the right way to do business.
"I think Pete needs some time to digest what happened, think about what he wants to do, whether that means not play the rest of this year, whether that means maybe not even play again.
"I think he's just worn out. I certainly understand that, he needs to rest now.
"Obviously I feel we need guys there that are going to bring a lot of energy to the table. With James and Andy especially..., being our two singles players, that's who we have and that's what I want to have."
