In a performance perhaps not equaled since Pete Sampras led the U.S. over Russia in the 1995 Davis Cup, Mardy Fish put all three wins on the board in Colombia this weekend, saving the American team the humiliation of relegation to the second tier in 2011.  Both of his singles wins came in five sets, [...]

This was a surprise, but the Bryan brothers will sit the Colombia match out.  John Isner and Ryan Harrison will play instead, and should be able to win.  The move was made because they can move into singles on Sunday if they have to do it.  North of 30, the Bryans would have no chance [...]

If there was a much coverage of the actual Davis Cup matches as there is complaining about the format, the event would be as popular as the Grand Slams are now.  Instead, we get John McEnroe or whoever else has the microphone or the column space endlessly lamenting the ridiculous schedule and the format.  But [...]

I’m glad to see Rafa beat his Borgitis, but I still think Bjorn was one cool cat.

Tennis history on the line this afternoon to see if Rafael Nadal can accomplish what Bjorn Borg never did — win in New York.  Borg won six French Opens and five Wimbledons, kneeling down on the last one like he was giving thanks to the tennis gods above.  But by September, those gods were frowning [...]

If the U.S. Open is about anything, it’s mostly about heatrbreak at the end of the day.   There are 256 men and women at the first day, and then at the end there only two.  Ryan Harrision had three match points, but couldn’t close it out. I hope he’ll get farther next year, and we’ll [...]

Of the more than a decade now that I’ve been attending the U.S. Open, it never fails that wherever I sit I end up in the seat in front of a loudmouth dimwit, the kind of tennis fan who tells his kid that it is match point when the score is deuce at 5-games all, [...]

Compelling dynamics for the American men at this year’s U.S. Open, with Andy Roddick losing to Janko Tipsarevic (a match I thought would be tough for him when I first saw the draw) and qualifier 18-year-old Ryan Harrison upsetting No. 15 Ivan Ljubicic, a wily veteran and no easy win for Harrison.  After a strong [...]

On Monday I was back and forth between the Grandstand and Armstrong courts, looking for the Rocky of tennis.  But something occurred to me as I watched the underdogs go down:  In boxing, you always hear about a puncher’s chance.  But in tennis, one great punch is only one point, and to win a best-of-five [...]

Much of the early analysis I heard from the talking heads on ESPN judged Roddick’s draw as favorable to the quarters, but the second round most likely will see him paired up against Janko Tipsarevic, the Serb who knocked him out in the second round of Wimbledon 2008.   Their career record is 1-1, both matches [...]