Davis Cup team announced

[hifigator]

As expected, James Blake and Andy Roddick were selected to represent the United States in their semifinal Davis Cup match versus Russia. U.S.A. coach, Patrick McEnroe also announced that the Bryan Brothers -- Bob and Mike will compete for America in the doubles match.

Russia will likely counter with Marar Safin, Mikhail Youzhny and Dmitry Tursunov for next month's match.
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Not that I am a huge fan, but after our disappointments in the World Cup Soccer and World Basketball Championships I am hoping for some International accolades in something.

Yes, I know that we just won the softball championship.

[JimmyHoya]

Safin and Roddick--now there's a match I'll be sure to miss.

Maybe they'll start one of those fastest serve long driving-esque competitions so they can finally do something of note.

[hoyarooter]

What about Davydenko? Isn't he the highest ranked Russian?

[Gold Hoya]

People still watch tennis matches that don't involve Maria Sharapova?

[Deleted]

Tennis has become as relevant as boxing.

[Boz]

I usually stick up for the less watched sports (soccer, cycling, curling, Robot Rumble, etc.). Hell, my favorite sport is hockey and no one EVER cares about that.

But I just can't get into Davis Cup. When does it start? When does it end? One round is in February, another in April, the next in September. I am an American, dammit! I want clear beginnings and endings to everything, and if it's longer than a week, you can count on me losing interest and/or complaining in a hurry!

You Homer Simpson-ize the Davis Cup a little bit for me and I'll pull out my Stars & Stripes (oh, and it might help to have a team that can win too).

'Til then, I'll content myself with tuning into tennis when there is a nice looking woman from some other country playing, preferably one who wears white and doesn't change her shirt when she starts sweating. (was it just me, or was Sharapova wearing a cocktail dress in her last match?)

Either that, or give me over-the-top characters, wrestling style. (Roddick keeps bitch-slapping the announcers around - and maybe wins once in a while - that might do it too).

[hifigator]

I understand all of that sentiment. When I (we) was growing up, there were a bunch of storylines. Conners was always exciting and gave it his all, albeit with less physical skills. John McEnroe was everyone's "bad boy" but I liked him. I swear the percentage of times when he contested a call and had a legitimate gripe was amazingly high. And who could forget Ille Nastase the Romanian? He always put on a good show. I guess that overall I just think there were more "characters" in the game back then. You had Roscoe Tanner and his 2 year run as a top player, very flambouyant and with that missile of a left handed serve, he was a real player for a short period of time. Of course Bjorn Borg brought something else to the table. He didn't have the big time serve or much of a net game but for several years in a row he could outlast anyone from the baseline. Ivan Lendl came along in a similar fashion albeit with a bigger serve, but one thing Borg and Lendl shared was not much flair. Borg was nice enough off the court but if he were an ice cream he would have been low fat vanilla. Lendl said a few controversial things in interviews but on the court was much like Borg.
There were two similar players to each other in Eddie Dibbs and Harold Soloman. Both were accomplished baseline players who played much better in the French and Australian opens. THey were both staples in the quarterfinals but rarely if ever won a major title. The magnificent gentleman named Arthur Ashe was in the twilight of his career, but I still remember him very favorably.
The next generation brought in the Boris Beckers and Mats Wilander's of the world, later joined by Jim Courrier and his run near the top. Of course the best player of this era was Pete Sampras, a very likable guy but another player with the on the court demeanor of Bjorn Borg.
The point is that I am not sure we have the diverse but identifiable range of characters in today's tennis. Roddick has a bit of an edge. Nadal has some court flair and with his baggy shorts and sleeveless shirts he certainly has his own style. But the world's best player, Roger Federer, is once again a likeable but vanilla guy to a fault. He is a friggin machine on the court. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe we don't want predictability. Maybe the intrigue of the unknow is really what holds and gains our attention. I mean even in Borg's heyday, there was always a reasonable shot that McEnroe or Connors could beat him. Either way there were likely to be some fireworks. And that 5 set marathon match that Borg had with Tanner at Wimbledon was a classic. I have gone on a might too long on this topic but what do you guys think?

[hoyarooter]

I think you went on too long. But then why should this post be different from most of your others?

I do agree that more players with a flair for the dramatic would be a good thing.