As a result of the impending retirement of Andy Roddick and the pressing health concerns for Mardy Fish, the U.S. Davis Cup team was due for a major overhaul for its upcoming semifinal match against defending champion Spain.
Yesterday, U.S. captain Jim Courier filled those roster spots with John Isner and Sam Querrey.
“The team is going to miss Andy, there is no doubt about that,” Courier said. “It’s a circle of life. You have to move forward.”
The U.S. team has to travel to Gijon, Spain, on Sept. 14 to take on a team that is minus Rafael Nadal but is still close to unbeatable on clay with David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro playing singles.
“We have the toughest draw you can have in Davis Cup with the road matches we have faced, and this one is the ultimate task in current Davis Cup tennis,” Courier said. “We certainly feel like we’re going to have a chance, but we also feel like we’re not the favorites.”
Fish had to withdraw from the Open before his fourth-round match against Roger Federer because of what is suspected to be a heart arrhythmia.
Isner, seeded ninth, was ousted in the third round by No. 19 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, yet the 6-foot-9 serving cannon has a very optimistic future.
“Good news for the U.S. Davis Cup is bad news for John’s U.S. Open,” Courier said.
Querrey, who was seeded No. 28, lost in the third round to No. 6 seed Tomas Berdych.
The U.S. team also added Olympic doubles gold medalists Bob and Mike Bryan.
* Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci, the two Italian women who will play against each other today in the quarterfinals, played together in doubles and beat Julia Goerges and Kveta Peschke, 6-2, 7-6 (2).
They move on to the semifinals, feat both of them would want in the singles. The winner of their singles match faces the winner of Serena Williams–Ana Ivanovic.
* Sam Stosur, the defending women’s singles champion who was ousted yesterday by No. 1 seeded Victoria Azarenka, was given the inaugural award for sportsmanship from the USTA. There will be another awarded to a men’s player later in the tournament.
* Pippa Middleton, younger sister of Kate Middleton and sister-in-law of Prince William, was on the grounds watching tennis between rain delays and being introduced to certain dignitaries.