Davis Cup Tennis Fills Gap
US Battles Sweden and Russia vs. Germany for Spot in Final
After the Grand Slams and before the season-ending championships, Davis Cup semifinals provides much needed tennis drama.
The Grand Slams are over, and it is almost two months before the top eight women mosey on over to Madrid for the Sony Ericsson Championships (November 6), and the top eight men slug it out in the Shanghai showdown to claim the Masters Cup (November 11). But for true tennis lovers and tennis patriots, there will be plenty of tennis this weekend. The US will serve it up against Sweden in one Davis Cup semifinal tie, and Russia will defend its Davis Cup title in the other semi versus Germany on Friday, September 21.
Where to Watch Davis Cup
If you are a real die-hard, you can watch Germany and Russia live on the Tennis Channel on Friday, Sept. 21, at 5 A.M.; Saturday, Sept. 22at7 A.M.;andSunday, Sept.23 at5 A.M. You can catch the US and Sweden at more reasonable hours: Noon on Versus and 8 P.M. on Tennis Channel all three days. If you miss the TV coverage, you can logon to daviscuptv.com to catch the previous day’s action.
US Winners on Paper
Although on paper it looks good for the US with Andy Roddick and James Blake stepping up for the US against Joachim Johansson and Thomas Johansson in singles, and Simon Aspelin and Jonas Bjorkman battling the Bryan brothers in doubles. Yet those in the know understand that you can’t believe everything you read and matches aren’t played on paper. They know that the US has traveled to Sweden three times for Davis Cup and has come home disappointed.
Joachim Johansson is 3-1 versus Blake (2-0) and Roddick (1-1) although he has played neither since 2004. Thomas Johansson has never beaten Blake or Roddick, so if that holds to form the worst the Americans are likely to be after singles is 2-2, with the Bryans vying to bring home the victory.
Bryan Brothers Victory no Cinch
At the beginning of the year, one would think the US would be a lock under those circumstances. However, the only Grand Slam the Bryans won this year was the Australian at the beginning of the year, and they have lost in three consecutive events. Oh, and Aspelin teamed with Julian Knowle to beat the Bryan brothers in the quarters of the US Open
Davis Cup Offers Topnotch Tennis
The long and short of it is that if you don’t want to wait for the fireworks in November, you should be able to catch some topnotch tennis this weekend when the US tries to get to the Davis Cup finals and Russia defends its title versus Germany.
