Howdy, Tribe. We're up at the farm in game-rich Andes this weekend, tracking Davis Cup doubles. Although I really enjoy doubles, I rarely watch it at tournaments. This is partly because of my work load. By the time they're playing doubles, I'm usually trying to get me mind and prose around what happened in the key singles matches of the day. I'll you who's a great doubles aficionado - El Jon (Wertheim). I try to get away with him now and then to watch a little, and when I do it always reminds me of the way doubles is one of the great spectator experiences at a tournament.
The bests doubles viewing, for my money, is at the big outdoor events, where watching doubles is a little like going to a baseball game on a sultry June weekday afternoon. Except in tennis, if you pick the right matches, you get a much more laid-back atmosphere. The crowd is often thin enough so you can stretch or spread out on the bleachers, strategically placed to enjoy the warmth of the afternoon California or Ohio or Miami sun. If you're on an outside court, you can get fairly close to the action, and follow it as closely or intermittently as you choose. It all depends on the company you have, and the degree to which you want to spend the time goofing around or talking about the Presidential elections or something. . .
Of course, Davis Cup doubles is different. The event is often critical to a team's fortunes, and as the only match of the middle Saturday, it gets a chance to bask in the limelight and invites us to watch with different eyes and a greater sense of urgency.
Speaking of urgency, take a look at the Davis Cup draw this morning, and judge for yourself how critical - or not - Davis Cup doubles will be today. Enjoy!