2005 Davis Cup - US Davis Cup Team Facing Elimination
By Todd Goldman  |  March 5, 2005

There is one only rule about a shore thing: there is no such thing as a shore thing.
 
Yesterday in Davis Cup play The United States Davis Cup team of Bob and Mike Bryan (previously undefeated in Davis Cup competition) found themselves bested by the Croatian pair of Ivan Ljubicic and Mario Ancic, 3-6, 7-6 (8) 6-4, 6-4. The US team was counting on the pair to get that all important go ahead doubles point so that they would only need one out of two points on Sunday to advance to the quarterfinal round. Conversely, so were the Croatians.
 
The match started out just about the way that Friday left off; Ljubicic hot, Ancic not. The Bryans on the other hand looked tough. All three players held serve and in the fourth game Ancic was broken. From the onset he looked tight and showed it on his service game. Maybe nerves from yesterday or the pressure of the tie on his shoulders seemed to keep him tight.
 
Each player held from there and with two aces at 30-15 Bob Bryan served out to take the set. From there the Croatians bared down.
 
Ljubicic who was lobbing a bit more than usual started to stroke his backhand much better. As he did so, it seemed to catch the Bryans a little off guard. As for his partner, Ancic tightened up his game and started to hit his serves. A plan seemed to form for the Croatians to attack Bob Bryan’s backhand more than usual.
 
The match at this point hinged on the second set. If the Bryan’s could steal this one it would be a real uphill battle for the Croatians, and they knew it. However, the Croatians raised their game to another level. Ljubicic who has been on fire this year made them pay when either Bryan served out wide to him in the ad court. There were no service breaks in this set and the Croatian’s had only one set point, but found it erased by a service winner by Bob Bryan at 4-5, 30-40.
 
The set came down to a tie breaker that seesawed back and forth. The Bryans held a set point at 7-6 and served for the set, but it was to no avail when the Croatian’s won one of the many net battles this match saw. At 8-9 Bob Bryan served out wide and Ljubicic made him pay by taking his backhand up the tram lines for a winner and the second set. Mike Bryan tried desperately to dive for it, but off the frame it went and with it the USA’s lead.
 
The next set hinged on Mike Bryan’s serve at 1-2. His service game saw nine deuces and five break opportunities for the Croatians. And on the fifth chance the Croatian pair moved ahead 3-1 and never looked back. Ancic held many of his service games without even giving up a point to the American duo.
 
As the Bryan’s held firm to their plan, Ljubicic and Ancic just continued to raise their game. Ancic gaining confidence as the match wore on.
 
The fourth and final set seemed to be cursory at best. The Bryans started to tighten up while the Croatian’s, especially Ljubicic, made it look like it was just a matter of time. And he was correct. The service games of the Croatian’s were just too much to handle for the twins; Ancic hitting his spots while Ljubicic fired missiles all over the place.
 
The set then hinged on Bob Bryan giving the Croatian’s the only two break points in the set and Ancic taking advantage of the second one with an up the middle winner. From there it was all academic. The Bryans were unable to break either Croatian and the US was left with a 2-1 deficit in the first round of Davis Cup play.
 
From here the American’s are left with some tough work. Andy Roddick will play first on Sunday to keep the USA’s hopes alive in 2005 Davis Cup play. His opponent will be the red hot Ljubicic. Roddick holds a 6-1 lead in match play, but this is not the same Ljubicic he has seen in the past. Ljubicic has steadied his game and backhand a bit and in his own words “improved my fitness.”
 
However, Roddick hits a very heavy ball and this should cause Ljubicic some difficulty. As well Ljubicic will have to return as well as possible to break Roddick. On the other side of the court Roddick will have to steady his nerves and play heads up tennis to bring Andre Agassi into the deciding match. No loose service games and big forehands is what Roddick will need.
 
If this tie does come down to a deciding fifth match it will be Agassi against Ancic. And as well as Ancic played today he will have to raise it to a level he may not have in him.
 
There have been many Davis Cup matches won on the shoulders of a young upstart over a seasoned pro, but Agassi will be coming with everything he has left and something to prove. To himself as well as to the rest of the tennis world, that he still has it.
 
In other notable Davis Cup play, the defending champion Spanish team was dispatched from Davis Cup competition by the Slovak Republic 3-0 today. As for the other ties taking place there are not too many surprises.
 
The Netherlands are ahead of the Federer-less Swiss 2-1, Australia has clinched their tie 3-0, Argentina has done the same, France is giving fits to the Swede’s on indoor clay 2-1, and for all intents and purposes should advance, and Belarus is leading Romania 2-1. 
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