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Fab four 2000 U.S. Davis Cup team unveiled
Posted: Thursday December 16, 1999 03:47 PM
WHITE PLAINS, New York (Ticker) -- Captain John McEnroe has convinced Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi to play for the United States in the 2000 Davis Cup. Sampras and Agassi will team with Todd Martin and Alex O'Brien when the U.S. team travels to Zimbabwe for its first-round tie on February 4-6, 2000. McEnroe will make his debut as captain as the United States will play a tie for the first time on the African continent. "I don't see them beating us," said McEnroe. "But we have to go down there and play the match. Altitude will be a factor." The tie will be played roughly a mile above sea level. Sampras did not play Davis Cup in 1998 or in this year's first-round match against Britain. But he returned to the team for the quarterfinals and played doubles for former U.S. captain and close friend Tom Gullikson, winning his match against Australia. "Pete wanted to get back on the team," McEnroe said. "He knows what it's about. Pete expressed interest in playing both singles and doubles." Sampras said in the past he would only play Davis Cup for Gullikson. "After hurting my back, it gave me a lot of time to think about the next couple of years," said Sampras. "Davis Cup is a goal of mine and a unique experience. To play with Andre, Todd and Alex is a pretty good experience -- and with John as captain. "Playing down there is a tough experience. I'm trying to be positive about it. We have four good players on the team and we'll have to play it by ear to see how we react after playing the Australian Open. Obviously, I want to play singles." Agassi, who is 26-5 all-time in Davis Cup competition, did not play for the U.S. this year after announcing he would never play Davis Cup again. He had several disputes with former USTA president Harry Marmion, but McEnroe managed to change his view. Agassi finished as the year-end No. 1 player for the first time in his career after winning the French Open and U.S. Open titles and reaching the Wimbledon final. Martin and O'Brien will pair for the doubles, but Sampras and Agassi could be available if needed. Neither Agassi, Martin nor O'Brien were privy to Thursday's media conference. Agassi is traveling, while Martin and O'Brien were in a training session in California. Martin will be representing the United States for the seventh consecutive year and O'Brien for the third in a row. O'Brien teamed with Sampras to win the quarterfinal doubles match against Australia and won this year's ATP Tour World Doubles Championship with Sebastien Lareau. Jim Courier, who had been a mainstay on the U.S. team the last couple of years, will be available if McEnroe calls upon him. "Courier is my type of guy," said McEnroe. "I don't happen to think in this situation Jim was right. The altitude does not fit Jim's play. He let me know that he is available to play. We'll wait and see. Davis Cup is about team." McEnroe, who expressed interest in playing Davis Cup doubles earlier this year, said at the time of his appointment as captain it would be "certainly doubtful" that he would take the court. He emphasized that again Thursday.
McEnroe was named the 37th U.S. Davis Cup captain on September 8, replacing Gullikson, who held the post since 1994. McEnroe was a 12-time Davis Cup member, winning five titles and losing in the finals two other times, and was 59-10 in Davis Cup action.
© 2003 SportsTicker Enterprises, LP
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