2005 Davis Cup - Roddick and US Davis Cup Team Stunned
By Todd Goldman  |  March 6, 2005

For the second time in three years the Croatian Davis Cup team eliminated the United States Davis Cup team in the first round of Davis Cup play. This time on US soil.

At 2-1 all the Croatians needed was the second hottest player on the ATP tour to finally win a match on a Sunday in 2005. Four times this year Ivan Ljubicic made it to that fateful day only to lose four different titles. This time he was going to make sure Monday looked a little brighter. However, Ljubicic was facing one of the young stars on the tour, American Andy Roddick.

Roddick had no intention to make this easy for Ljubicic, who had already played singles on Friday and doubles on Saturday, winning both points that the Croatians held.

At the onset of the match it seemed like all the play this weekend had maybe worn out the 26 year old Croatian. His play was rather slow and deliberate; hitting back to Roddick at varying speeds. As for his serve, that is one of the more powerful on the tour, that was up to his standards.

The first set proceeded as expected until midway into the set when Roddick earned two break points at 2-2. Roddick capitalized early on a mis-hit of Ljubicic’s and the break was his. From there both players were steady, but Ljubicic was unable to break the American and the lead went to the United States.

The games saw rather long rallies with both players trying to get the advantage at the baseline. Roddick surprisingly was moving to the net on a number of points and finding early success.

The second set went in more or less the same way as the first, but with Roddick this time giving way to Ljubicic. At 3-4, 40-15 Roddick looked to be serving to even the set. And he knew it. But as quick as the set could have been even, Ljubicic had stolen the game from Roddick by reeling off four straight points. This type of service game would be the undoing for the young American.

The most surprising move was at break point when Roddick spun a first serve in and followed it to the net. Without too much trouble the Croatian made Roddick pay for his folly. Roddick did have one break point in the set, but had it erased rather quickly by Ljubicic.

Following these two sets both players tightened up their service games quite a bit. However, at 3-3 Roddick gave Ljubicic a break opportunity and before you knew it Roddick was in trouble and behind 4-3. However, as so often happens, Roddick broke right back with tenacious returns and pressure and finally broke the Croatian on an unforced error on a forehand from Ljubicic when he dumped a ball into the net.

As the match moved into the tie breaker the tension started to be evident in the level of play. Neither wanted to hand the other the set. So it came down to who would make the fatal mistake. Ljubicic was the first when he missed an easy drop volley to go behind 0-2. At 4-3 in the breaker it was Andy’s turn when he forced a forehand and it went deep and tied the breaker at 4-4.

Then at 5-5 Ljubicic flew a volley wide and Roddick had set point on his racket, only to miss another forehand. From there Roddick had only one more set point, but Ljubicic erased that on his serve. Notably all the break point opportunities came on an unforced error rather than an outright winner. At 12-11 Ljubicic was serving for the set when Roddick pushed a forehand approach shot wide.

Most of the time Roddick had substantial leads throughout his service games while conversely Roddick would on many occasions take an early lead in the game to only have his lead erased by Ljubicic with top notch serving.

The fourth set saw no breaks of serve. Roddick had two break points early in the first set, but missed a backhand passing shot. While Ljubicic had one chance as well but could not convert. Both players held their serves and sent this set to another tie-breaker. Ljubicic seemed to tighten up a bit and made some dangerous errors to give Roddick three set points at 6-3. But just when the standing room only crowd of 6500 plus thought the match would move into a fifth set, Ljubicic stepped up and held Roddick off.

Ljubicic got his game back together and evened the breaker at 7-7. However, Roddick would not let this slip away from him and retrieved another set point. Surprisingly Ljubicic, who had been serving incredibly, double faulted away the fourth set.

The crowd went insane. Roddick was invigorated. The US was back in it and Roddick would get to serve first. Could you ask for any better?

As the players came back onto the court for the final and deciding set there was no doubt who had the pep in his step. Roddick looked fresh and ready to go, Ljubicic slogged on out there.

But this was to be Roddick’s undoing. While Ljubicic played it cool, Roddick “played a loose service game,” he admitted after the match. Roddick’s energy got the better of him and Ljubicic stole the first eight points in the set and sprinted to a 2-0 lead. Roddick tightened his game up and held his next serve. During that game Ljubicic had a little scare when he looked to jar his knee upon running down a short ball from Roddick. He started to run a bit more gingerly at that point.

Moments later it was Roddick whom had three break points and his last chance to get back into the match. Ljubicic would not be broken. Five points later he was up 3-1.
That opportunity lost seemed to dictate the American’s play in the next game when Ljubicic broke Roddick again. And at the next changeover, at 4-1, out came the trainer for a three minute injury time-out.

From that point it was just a matter of time. Ljubicic finished off Roddick with one of his many aces and won the match, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (11), 6-7 (7), 6-2. For the Americans it was more than disappointing. It was shocking. After watching Spain get dispatched without much trouble the draw was opening up for them. On top of it the addition of Agassi made most believe that there would be some work for the Americans, but the return of the Davis Cup trophy to the US, after a 10 year hiatus, was very probable.

So where to from here? The Americans will have to wait until May for the draw to take place to see whom and where they play in September. From there the Americans will have to win to stay in the World Group. As for Croatia they will host Romania in July. 
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