Davis Cup VIPs: So as not to have an “I don’t know who Althea Gibson is” moment, Patrick McEnroe should make this Pete Bodo post on DC legends required reading for his team. (ESPN)
Bonnie D. Ford: “If you’re an American, you’re not given a lot of room to enjoy this victory. The bubbly is barely out of the bottle before people are demanding to know whether the event is relevant.”
Ego doesn’t rule the day: I’m glad James Blake, who might not be remembered for his Grand Slam success, has found a way to carve out a very satisfying — and memorable — tennis career. (Bloomberg)
Etcetera: SPI: Andy Roddick is one up on Federer now that he has a Davis Cup title. SI: Andy’s feat should make him a Hall of Fame shoo-in. MS2: Team USA hitting partners Ginepri partied hard (see No. 7).
Chris Clarey and Harvey Araton tag team at NYT:
- How fitting that Bob and Mike Bryan, probably the most successful American tennis players in the last few years, are the ones who clinched the Davis Cup title for Team USA.
- Patrick McEnroe, unlike his older brother John, figured out how to work with Andy and James.
- And the guys are carving out their own story in the wake of what Blake calls “the greatest generation probably in the history of the American game.”
- The USTA is eager to make this win resonate globally. An uphill battle, I say.
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Davydenko‘s in need of repair, and will spend some time in Thailand during the off-season. Plus this re: the latest round of scandals…
The sport operates in an expanded and increasingly complex environment, new stars emerging from Eastern Europe, countries with developing economies, and where the potential for underworld growth parallels free-market expansion.
“It’s true, we are dealing with less-sophisticated areas of the world, and in that context it makes this more difficult,” said Arlen Kantarian, the chief executive of the United States Tennis Association. “But this issue at the end of the day is not Western or Eastern, it’s about honesty and integrity, and it’s worldwide.”
I hope you were misquoted, Mr. Kantarian, because I think you may have called Russia less sophisticated.
Willammette Week brought us local coverage:
- They posted lots of video. (Nick, have you seen these?)
- Portland loved being a rare USTA pit stop.
- Live-blogging from dead rubbers.
- How drunk can you get in 45 minutes? Very.
- “Tennis is like NASCAR — but without asphalt and with more teeth.”
- Portland is different from Moscow.
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