Blown Call Helps Americans Escape Belgium, Pride Intact
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
In Belgium yesterday, an up-and-down Andy Roddick saved the United States from embarrassment and perhaps finally put a lackluster season behind him – thanks, in part, to a line call so badly botched that those in favor of instant replay ought to point to it as proof positive of their position.
For much of the year, Roddick has been his own worst enemy. His fitness and mental fortitude failed him at the Australian Open, where he lost in four sets to Lleyton Hewitt. In Rome, he had triple match point and lost after he generously overruled a call in his favor. Paris? The American led two sets to none in the second round of the French Open, only to lose the next three. And we all know what at happened at the U.S. Open, where Roddick was flushed in three first-round tiebreakers by an unheralded lefty from Luxembourg.
After four hours on court yesterday with Olivier Rochus, a 5-foot-5, 130 pound shot maker of the highest caliber, Roddick looked about ready to sink to a new low. And then came the gift of the season, a terrible line call that doomed Rochus, who had momentum and a home crowd behind him before Roddick prevailed, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-3.
The victory not only saved Roddick from another depressing defeat, but spared the United States from its worst Davis Cup season in 17 years. Not since 1987 have the Americans failed to qualify for the World Group, where the top teams vie for the title at the end of the season. Coupled with a first-round defeat earlier in the year against Croatia, a loss yesterday would have relegated the U.S. team to the minor leagues of tennis for at least the beginning of 2006, in search of a spot among the final 16 elite teams allowed to compete for the title. Now, at least, Roddick and company can breathe easy until February.
It could not have been a more narrow escape. Rochus was serving at 15-40 and trailing 3-2 in the fifth set when he smashed a short, defensive, high bouncing lob from Roddick just inside the sideline, as replays confirmed. A lineswoman called it out but no one heard her; Patrick McEnroe, the U.S. team captain, pointed out her signal to the chair umpire. Rochus and his team argued to no avail as the umpire decided to stand by the lineswoman’s call (and this on clay, where balls leave marks).
Roddick, who had let numerous chances slip through his fingers, was awarded the game and he made the most of it, winning two stellar service games after falling behind 0-30 in each one. He ended the most important Davis Cup match of the season with two aces, his 34th and 35th of the match, and a service winner. At four hours and 32 minutes, the match was the longest in Davis Cup play since the tie breaker was adopted. 301 1646 416 1657
Roddick and his teammates ran from the court without so much as a high five, in no mood to anger the Belgians further with a celebration. James Blake later returned and scored a 7-5,6-1 victory over a replacement player, Steve Darcis, to make the final score 4-1 in favor of the United States.
At the end of the fourth set and early in the fifth set, Roddick, who won his first match on Friday over Olivier’s brother, Christophe, looked worn out. All the signs were there. He began serving harder, especially on his second serve – a clear indication that he was tiring and looking for free points. If he fell behind on Rochus’s serve, he hardly moved, conserving energy for his own service games. Roddick’s slice backhand, not the prettiest stroke to begin with, was now limp and choppy and hit with too much sidespin.
Worse still, he never should have found himself in this position. After splitting the first two sets, he rattled off the first three games of the third set, breaking serve twice. Rochus immediately took back one break, and then pecked away at Roddick by feeding one ball after another to the American’s backhand. While Roddick’s two-hander is often suspect, Rochus’s one-hander is a beautiful shot, whether he slices it or rolls over it. He proved particularly adept at taking full backhand swings at balls that bounced over his shoulders (something he undoubtedly has practiced often in his 24 years).Trailing 4-3 and 40-15 on Roddick’s serve, Rochus hit three strong backhands to win the game, including a bullet return winner off a Roddick second serve that kicked up over his head.
Roddick broke again for a 5-4 lead, and again he failed to serve out the set after he missed three shots and lost serve at love. In the tie breaker, however, his serve came to life. After he double faulted for a 0-2 deficit, Roddick hit an ace in each of his next five serves and took a two-sets-to-one lead.
In the fourth set, Roddick blew another chance, winning the first two games but giving the break right back. Four games later the end seemed near: Roddick could not survive a four-deuce game on his serve, and Rochus held on to take the set.
When he needed his serve most, though, Roddick found the range. Just when Rochus gave his fans a final taste of hope by winning the first two points of the final game, Roddick began firing away. That he could continually bail himself out on clay, on the road, and against a quick and creative player is more proof that Roddick’s serve is the best in the sport.
As for the rest of his game, well, there are still too many days on which Roddick’s serve has to be as good as it is, too many moments when he inexplicably decides to serve and volley every second serve or hit a half volley when he would have been better off waiting for a forehand to pummel. Now that he has spared himself the agony of what would have been his worst season as a professional, Roddick should be able to relax and try to finish with a flourish. The Masters Cup, played in Shanghai this year, is less than two months away.
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While the Americans leave Belgium relieved, Croatia and the Slovak Republic were ecstatic after each team reached the Davis Cup final for the first time in history. Croatia, which upset the U.S. in the first round this year, defeated Russian 3-2 as Ivan Ljubicic continued his impressive Davis Cup run this season with two victories in singles and another in doubles (he did the same against the United States). The Slovak Republic, which defeated defending champion Spain in the first round, clinched a 4-1 win over Argentina when Dominik Hrbaty defeated Guillermo Coria. His team will host the final in December.