2007 Davis Cup Preview: The Preview

PORTLAND, ORE. — The 2007 Davis Cup features a one-time dominant country looking to regain their form, against an up-and-coming team who looks to repeat as champions.

The United States will look to win their 32nd Davis Cup Championship, but their first in 12 years, in front of a home crowd in Portland, Ore., this weekend behind stars Andy Roddick (right), James Blake and the No. 1 doubles team in the world in twin brothers Mike and Bob Bryan.

“We have an opportunity to do something great, bring the Cup back here for the first time since '95,” Blake said. “But it’s a difficult situation when we're dealing with following the greatest generation probably in the history of American tennis. I think it's going to be difficult for any one country to dominate the way the U.S. has in the past.”

Meanwhile, Russia will look to win their third Davis Cup Championship without one of the big names as Captain Shamil Tarpischev decided to leave Marat Safin at home for the finals. Instead Tarpischev will look to the No. 4 player in the world, Nikolay Davydenko (left), and three other players who could either fill the other singles position just as easily as they could play doubles, to win their second-straight Davis Cup.

“This is our strongest team. I think that these guys play better than Marat, and he is not going to be here,” Tarpischev said.

Tarpischev will not decide his lineup until Thursday.

While the Americans feel confident about their chances in front of a home crowd, they know their work will be cut out for them—especially after Russia beat the Americans 3-2 last year in the semifinals.

“We're going to have to play well. If our guys play well, with the conditions that we have here with the court and the fans, we like our chances. But we certainly understand that this is going to be a very tough match to win.”


PREDICTION:
Roddick def. Andreev; Davydenko def. Blake; Bryan/Bryan def. Tursunov/Youzhny; Davydenko def. Roddick; Blake def. Andreev
USA def. Russia 3-2