Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

by Pete Bodo

Mornin', folks. Well, another first-round of World Group play is in the books. So let's cut right to the chase and highlight the heroes and goats of the weekend, starting with a genuine shocker that simply personifies the beauty and excitment of Davis Cup:

Kazakhstan: Granted, Mikhail Kukushkin probably turned in the most astounding performance when he beat the Czech Republic's Jan Hajek in the fifth and decisive rubber in Ostrava. But bear in mind that the Kazakhs were down, 1-2, when the reverse singles began on Sunday, and ATP No. 43 Andrey Golubev found a way to beat No. 7 Tomas Berdych to set up Kukushkin's clutch performance. A rueful Berdych said, afterward, that Golubev had played "the perfect match." When you consider that this is the first year that Kazakhstan has qualified for the World Group, and that the Czechs have won the entire shooting match and been runner-up as well, it's pretty clear that the entire team deserves a thumbs up.

Jeremy Chardy: Given that Chardy hadn't won a singles match since last October, and that he was on the French squad only because Gael Monfils, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet, Henri Cochet, Rene LaCoste, Jacques Brugnon and Jean Borotra are all either injured or dead, his two-win performance against an Austrian squad featuring top-tenner Jurgen Melzer was not merely excellent, it was inspired.

And to think, French captain Guy Forget had described Chardy as the "joker" shortly before the tie got under way. But Forget, a crafty captain, didn't mean Chardy was a clown or fool; rather, that he was like the joker in a deck of cards. And that's a pretty apt description of Chardy, an underacheiver who's got plenty of game but misplaces it a little too often. The key to the French win was Chardy's straight-shocker over Melzer on Day 1. That Chardy also was able to clinch the tie in the critical fifth rubber (granted he was playing No. 138 Martin Fisher) is impressive—especially in light of his up-and-down history. Now just build on it, Jeremy,

Janko Tipsarevic: Serbia was so confident going into this tie against India that Novak Djokovic recused himself; thus, a home-court loss would have left the Serbs with spinach saag on their faces. After Viktor Troicki struggled mightily but managed to pull out a win over Rohan Bopanna, Tipsarevic was spanked in straight sets by Somdev Devvarrman to leave the teams tied and the outcome very much undecided (especially when you consider the India's passion for doubles).

So guess what? Djokovic himself had to take his feet off the coffee table and get in the fray—or so the Davis Cup website would have us believe. They credit the Serbs' doubles win to Djokovic and Nenad Zimonjic, while my spies in Novi Sad tell me Zimonjic's partner was Ilija Bozoljac. Either way, the Serbs won the doubles and then Troicki once again came up big, taking out Devvarman in straights sets to clinch in the fourth rubber.

!Up Andy Roddick: His teammates call him "Closer," and yesterday he again showed why, clinching a tie for the U.S. for the 12th time in his career. In fact, he's 12-0 when playing for a tie. It will take a lot of research and calculation to figure out the stats on this, but I have a gut feeling that he's got some kind of record here, especially when you consider that he's clinched on the road five of those 12 times.

But here's one to contemplate: The USA next plays Spain, in July—perhaps in the town where Roddick now lives, Austin, TX. Say Roddick beats Fernando Verdasco or David Ferrer in the first match and the Bryan brothers win the doubles. Roddick then will be in a postion to clinch for the 13th time—but this time, perhaps he'll be facing Rafael Nadal. The only thing Roddick fans might like about that scenario is that there's a fair chance that this tie will not take place on Nadal's beloved red clay...

Tomas Berdych: I guess you can call out Melzer for losing the first match of Austria's tie against France to Chardy, and it's also true that Berdych actually won his first singles and helped secure the doubles for the Czechs. On the other hand, Kazakhstan was appearing in its first-ever World Group draw, and—this is big in this situation, folks—playing on the home turf of the Czechs in Ostrava (the home town of Ivan Lendl).

There's no doubt that Golubev played a terrific match; it isn't as if Berdych blew it, or choked it away. Still, he's Tomas Berdych, world No. 7 and defending Wimbledon finalist, and Golubev is, well, a guy easily confused with Ernests Gulbis. Berdych is the guy who left the gate open, and the Kazahks are now in the quarterfinals (and guaranteed to be in the World Group next year). I can think of a number of World Group squads who will not be especially eager to travel to Kazakhstan to play a first-rounder next year, should it host one (the Kazakhs travel to Argentina to play their quarterfinal in July).

Philipp Petzschner: The German journeyman, ranked No. 67 on the ATP tour, was handed the ball and told to go out and beat Croatia's Ivo Karlovic in the sudden-death fifth rubber match—this, after Petzschner (in yoke with Christopher Kas) had already kept German hopes alive with a five-set win in the doubles.

In that match, Karlovic set a new service speed record (156 mph), one tick of the meter faster than the previous record, served-up by Andy Roddick. Undaunted, Petzschner did what any player must against a guy who serves like Karlovic: he saved his best stuff for the tiebreakers, winning two of them to complete the three-set, tie-clinching win over powerful Croatia.

Honorable Mentions: Robin Soderling of Sweden, for his quiet, consistent excellence; he gave up just seven games in the first match of Day 1, and Sweden swept. Soderling is 13-3 in Davis Cup singles and it will be interesting to see what happens when the Swedes host Serbia in July. Bob and Mike Bryan, for once again pulling the American chestnuts out of the fire. Their doubles win put the USA back on track and set up Roddick to close out the tie. Somdev Devvarman, who played in three matches in Serbia for India, and beat Janko Tipsarevic to open the tie.