Davis Cup 2010: America ahead of Colombia at 3-1
The American tennis player, Mardy Fish knocked down Santiago Giraldo in a total of five sets on Sunday to give the United States an invincible lead of 3-1 over Colombia in the 2010 Davis Cup tennis competition.
Triumphing in the playoff clash on outdoor red clay implies that the United States of America will remain in the World Group, the top tier of the competition. Colombia was attempting to qualify for the first time as well.
“It involves a lot of hard work and efforts to reach there. I played really hard and to the very best in order to give my country a comprehensive lead of 3-1. A season ago today I wouldn’t have been able to do this. I battled
as hard as I possibly could,” said Fish after the match.
Mardy, as a result of this victory has also registered his name as the first player from the United States of America to win thrice in a single Davis Cup championship since Pete Sampras final in Moscow back in 1995. Mardy won in
the opening singles clash on Friday as well as his doubles match on Saturday along with his partner John Isner.
It was a sweet departure for retiring States skipper Patrick McEnroe, whose side fought with the 8,700-feet in altitude, a strong Colombia side and the absence of some top ranked contenders like James Blake, Andy Roddick and the
impressive doubles team of Bryan brothers.
McEnroe, while commenting on Mardy’s recent performance in the Davis Cup said, “What an impressive effort from Fish this weekend. He has played really well in the Davis Cup. To grab three points in such conditions, with the crowd,
altitude and all is just amazing. It’s simply wonderful. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish my captaincy tenure.”
Giraldo broke Mardy in the decisive set to earn a lead of 6-5, needing just to serve out to force a final fifth match. The professional tennis player from the United States of America bounced back to level at 6-6, though, held
his serve by battling off a total of two break points and then broke his Colombian tennis foe, once again to grab the victory on Sunday. The clash concluded after a time period of four hours and five minutes. The final match score was 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 4-6, 8-6.
Mardy logged eleven hours of tennis when triumphing in two singles clashes and a doubles match.
“It was really tough right from the start of the tournament under such conditions. To grab three points in a single Davis Cup clash keeping in mind the circumstances is one of the greatest if not the greatest achievement of my
professional career. I am really glad with the way I performed and I am looking forward to play even better in the rest of the matches,” said Fish.
Ryan Harrison was also scheduled to contest the last match for the United States of America however it wouldn’t have affected the result and was also cancelled as a result of a late rainstorm. In an exciting twist, the American
tennis ace, Andy Roddick made his debut in the Davis Cup tennis competition back in 2001 in McEnroe’s first clash as a skipper. The debut for Ryan would have come as Patrick departs.
The United States has dropped out just once since the World Group started back in 1981. The Americans have captured the Davis Cup title on a total of thirty two occasions, the last one came back in 2007 which is McEnroe’s only
crown as a skipper.
Mardy while commenting on the American talent said that the clash versus Colombia proved that the U.S. has enough depth to reach the top level in the game of tennis.
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