Big upset for the US Davis Cup tennis team this weekend.

[patdog]

They beat Switzerland 5-0, in Switzerland, on clay, with Federer playing. Isner beat Fed in 4 sets Friday, then Mardy Fish and Mike Brian beat Fed and Wawrinka in doubles Saturday. Pretty impressive wins. Isner really looks like he's putting it all together. I think he'll be in the top 10 by the middle of the year.

 

[Irondawg]

Was a shocking win for sure. I really don't think Isner is going to be top 10 - the longer tournaments in heat just wear him down physically it appears. I really thought Querry would always be better but he's really fallen off the wagon since getting injured.

 

[patdog]

It's been a huge problem for him in the past because he's always played long matches because he almost never gets broken and almost never breaks. He's really improved his forehand and developed his backhand so it's not such a weakness any more. I think he's going to start to get in some return games and get a few more breaks because of it. The announcers were saying that if he'd won his last tournament last year instead of going out in a close semifinal match, he'd have finished the year ranked #9. He's currently 17th and doesn't have many points to defend until the summer. No reason he shouldn't pick up a lot of points in the spring US hardcourt season and the clay court season. He's actually a very good clay court player. He's beaten Fed on clay and taken both Djokovic and Nadal to 5 sets on clay.

 

[alabamadog]

they have Tsonga, and I'm assuming they will have Monfils since it will be on clay. I could see that going either way assuming Isner and Fish play.

 

[whitedog]

If someone would have said, "I'll betyou anything that the USA will sweep 3-0",I would be looking for a place to live right now.

Wasn't the clay laid on top ofa standard concrete hard court??? I like what the announcer on the Tennis Channel said, "The Americans have a couple of MVP's, John Isner, Mardy Fish, and the guys who laid this clay court."

 

[patdog]

But the court was the worst I've ever seen for a professional match. The clay courts in Jackson are much better courts. There were several balls where the bounces were so bad the players completely whiffed on the ball. It really did seem to bother the Swiss players more than the US players though. The old conventional wisdom was if you host the US, play on clay because Roddick and Blake suck on clay. But Fish is a pretty decent clay court player and I actually think clay is Isner's best surface.

 

[fishwater99]

But the court was the worst I've ever seen for a professional match. <span style="font-weight: bold;">The clay courts in Jackson are much better courts.</span> There were several balls where the bounces were so bad the players completely whiffed on the ball. It really did seem to bother the Swiss players more than the US players though. The old conventional wisdom was if you host the US, play on clay because Roddick and Blake suck on clay. But Fish is a pretty decent clay court player and I actually think clay is Isner's best surface.

And Won the USTA 2011 Outstanding Private Tennis Facility Award for The entire USA...

Now if you are talking about Cascades or Battlefield, then that might be different...

 

[patdog]

And yes, those courts are better than the one the Swiss set up for the Davis Cup. Courthouse is better too. Did River Hills redo the clay courts when they redid the clubhouse? The old ones were better than either Battlefield or Courthouse. If they're even better now, they're pretty damn good. Never played on the clay court at Cascades, but if it's anything like their hard courts, it probably is worse.