Jim Courier: USA’s New Davis Cup Team Captain
Ever since Patrick McEnroe, or P-Mac as he is fondly known, announced his retirement as captain of the USA’s Davis Cup team, the tennis world has been waiting to hear the USTA’s decision on a new captain for the popular team. P-Mac retired after ten years,
after a long-standing tenure in the wake of his brother John McEnroe’s unsuccessful run as captain of the same team. During these years, he captained the team into a 2007 Davis Cup victory, something they had not been achieved for the past 12 years. The problem
with finding a captain such as P-Mac was simply this: he had tact and class, along with the ability to inspire commitment which led his team to success many times. Without a doubt, the team members would not accept any less than a new captain of the same calibre.
The search for a captain has, however, finally ended; four-time Grand Slam winner and former World Number 1 Jim Courier has been hired by the US Tennis Association, and he will lead the American team into the March 2011 Playoffs.
Jim Courier has been lobbying for the position of Davis Team captain ever since the USTA announced a vacancy; among all the candidates, he seemed to be the most qualified, and the most capable of leading the team through to victory. In a conference in New
York on Wednesday, the tennis pro said, “I’ve always known, once I got a taste of playing Davis Cup, if I were given an opportunity to be the captain, I would certainly want to take it.” In addition to this, P-Mac clearly cited Courier as a viable option,
saying, “He’s a guy who has never taken a shortcut in his life.”
His interest in the position was certainly no secret to the USTA or the players. Within an hour of McEnroe announcing his retirement – he cited wanting to spend more time with his family, and concentrating on other jobs as his main reasons – Courier, then
an analyst for CBS Sports, announced on national TV that he would be interested in captaining the team. He laughs the incident off now, saying, ““I was kind of put on the spot by my colleague Ian Eagle at the U.S. Open. I hope I handled it OK. I didn’t want
to be seen as grandstanding or lobbying too hard for the position”, his enthusiasm for the tournament did not go unnoticed. After the announcement of his ascension to the position, USTA President Lucy Garvin issued a statement saying, “I know we’ll see the
same fighting spirit from the captain’s chair.”
Jim Courier has a record of 16-10 for singles and a 1-0 doubles record. In addition to playing 14 ties, he was also an active member of the 1992 and 1995 Davis Cup-winning teams. He fulfils the general criteria asked for by the USTA; he is a famous figure
in the tennis world, his track record at the tournament is impressive and he clearly wanted the job. The only foreseeable drawback would be this: big-world players such as Courier, and before him, John McEnroe, are often unable to manage players and negotiation
as it should be handled in order for a successful team to be formed. However, his four Grand Slams will also come in handy as leverage over the team, where only Andy Roddick is a major winner.
The 2003 US Open victor and the highest ranked man from USA on the ATP, seemed enthusiastic about the new captain; he issued a tweet on popular networking site Twitter saying, “jim courier new davis cup captain.... great choice!”, and has already
committed himself to the 2011 Cup.
Another major player who approves of this appointment is Andre Agassi, who issued a statement saying, “Jim has the experience, integrity and focus needed to bring the U.S. Davis Cup to new heights. I know firsthand that a man with Jim’s credentials as a
warrior and a champion will bring out the best in our players and our fans.” He went as far as to call the decision “inspired”.
While he may have some big shoes to fill in, Jim Courier’s public appeal and qualifications certainly seem to meet up to the standards expected. The only thing left to wait for is next year’s playoffs.
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