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On the ropes U.S. faces 2-1 Davis Cup deficit
Posted: Saturday February 05, 2000 12:00 AM
HARARE, Zimbabwe (Reuters) -- Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett came through a five-set thriller against Rick Leach and Alex O'Brien on Saturday to give Zimbabwe a shocking 2-1 lead over the U.S. in their Davis Cup world group first round tie. Leach served a double fault on matchpoint in the fifth set after 3 1/2 hours of play to hand the hosts victory 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 0-6, 7-5, 7-5 and the chance of securing what would be the country's best win on home soil in their 24-year Davis Cup history. A U.S. team has come back from a 2-1 deficit just three times in their 86-year Davis Cup history -- in 1981, 1961 and 1934. "When they said it wasn't going to be easy I didn't know what they were talking about ... It was unbelievable," said non-playing team captain John McEnroe afterwards. All will rest on Sunday's reverse singles when Byron Black is due to take on world No. 1 Andre Agassi and brother Wayne is due to play Davis Cup debutant Chris Woodruff who lost his first singles on Friday. McEnroe said he would now be spending his time bringing the best out of Woodruff. "I do believe he [Woodruff] can win," McEnroe said. However, under rules introduced at the start of the year, McEnroe -- in his first outing as team captain -- can substitute Woodruff at an hour's notice for another squad member. Wayne Black was confident about his chances of beating Woodruff in Sunday's singles. "Definitely I think we can win this tie. I thought it from the start... but I say that we are still underdogs," Black told reporters. "I'm feeling confident. I've got the crowd behind me. He [Woodruff] hasn't been in this situation before." McEnroe will be hoping that Black feels the effects of the five-set doubles marathon and that Woodruff will hit top form. Agassi must beat Byron Black in Sunday's opener to keep America's hopes alive. Leach and O'Brien, who looked as though they would run away with the tie after winning the third set 6-0, were stunned by the doubles loss. "It was a match that could have gone any way ... in the end it was a blur, there was so much noise [from the crowd]. "We played our hearts out," Leach, winner of last month's Australian Open doubles, said. But for Wayne Black it will be a day he will always remember whatever happens on Sunday. "That's why I play tennis, for a moment like that," he said. "The atmosphere was amazing. It helped us and I want to thank everybody here for that. "We were down and out at one stage but the crowd kept us right in there." Ullyett, playing in only his second Davis Cup, said: "This is the best feeling I've ever had in my life. I was so fired up out there it was unbelievable."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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