United States Davis Cup squad battles rare air versus Colombia
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At 8,700 feet above sea level, that first step is a doozy
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On paper, the US Davis Cup team should have a marked advantage over their opponents from Colombia as the playoff begins Friday.
Of course, “paper” doesn’t factor in playing on red clay in a bull ring located 8,700 feet above sea level.
That will be the task facing Americans Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey, John Isner and Ryan Harrison over the next three days as they fight to stay alive in the World Cup tier.
The United States must win or fall out of the World Cup competition for the first time since 1988. That is a record held concurrently with the Czech Republic and Sweden.
Current Top 20 player Fish will open the tournament by taking on Alejandro Falla, best known for his near-upset of Roger Federer during the first round of this year’s Wimbledon festivities.
Sam Querrey will take the second singles match on Friday, battling Santiago Giraldo. In Saturday’s doubles competition, John Isner and Ryan Harrison will square off against Carlos Salamanca and Robert Farah.
The United States is 3-1 in World Group playoffs, defeating Belgium 4-1 in 2005 in its time in a playoff.
However, it’s no secret that clay is by and large the weakest surface for American players, and playing at such extreme elevation, just two weeks after all four men were breathing comfortably at an elevation of 85 feet in Flushing, New York.
The Americans are hoping for a better outcome than the last time they fought opponents in a bull ring. The United States battled Spain in the famous Las Ventas bull ring in the 2008 Davis Cup semifinal, falling 4-1.
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