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 Photographer: Ron Angle
Date: 12 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ron Angle
Date: 12 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ron Angle
Date: 12 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ron Angle
Date: 12 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ron Angle
Date: 12 Apr 2008 |  Photographer: Ron Angle
Date: 12 Apr 2008 |
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| 11 Apr 2008 - Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem - Craig Gabriel - USA v FRA | |
| Dramatic five-set win for Blake |
American James Blake lifted the USA to 2-0 over France with a five-set victory over Paul-Henri Mathieu 76(5) 67(3) 63 36 75 in three hours and 48 minutes. Mathieu served for the match at 5-4 in the fifth set but squandered two match point opportunities before he – and his spirit -- were broken by Blake. The American held serve for 6-5 then, in an error-filled game for the Frenchman, broke again for the win. An elated Blake won his first Davis Cup five-setter and lifted his career five-set record to 3-10.
“He was serving so well,” said Blake. “I wanted to give myself a chance, to get those returns in place and then take advantage of any opportunity that I had. He made an error on one of them and, before I knew it, I was back in it. And once you get that feeling of confidence, you feel like you can do anything. You get a second wind.”
“There were so many ups and downs during the match,” continued Blake. “Against a player of a very similar level, 12 in the world, it came down to one-two points, who is at home, who has the surface that’s right for them, down to confidence.”
And the American team’s confidence is high with the Bryan brothers and their 14-1 Davis Cup record up tomorrow against the likely pairing of the Wimbledon champions Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra. The French will also believe they are in with a chance to win. After all, they defeated the Bryans on the fast grass in the Wimbledon final; why not on the fast indoor hard court here in Winston-Salem.
"There's no better feeling" - Blake
“There is no better feeling in the world than being up 2-0 and watching the Bryans, sitting back and watching them with their energy and their ability,” added Blake. “No better feeling.”
With the USA leading 1-0 after Andy Roddick's straight sets victory over Llodra, the crowd at the Joel Coliseum was fired up waiting for Blake to take on Mathieu in the second singles. This is college basketball country but the fans here are just as passionate about their Davis Cup.
“We love coming back to Winston-Salem,” said Blake. “It’s so much fun. The crowd really gets into it, every single day whether we are up 3-0 or not. They were here last year on Sunday and they will be again this year. It’s a lot of fun to be a part of.”
The defending champions are at full strength in this Davis Cup by BNP Paribas quarterfinal tie but the French, with their great depth, have been decimated by injury. Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was forced to fly home earlier this week because of a tear in his meniscus while Mathieu, ranked 12, is France’s No. 2 player but playing in the No. 1 position after Richard Gasquet was benched, for today’s matches at least, because of blisters and a sore knee.
The first set went with serve forcing a tiebreak. Mathieu, who served better with more winners than the American during the set, deconstructed in the tiebreak, falling to 0-6 on a combination of Blake winners and his own errors. But, as two nervous captains looked on, Mathieu clawed back five points before Blake, on his sixth set point opportunity, benefited from a forehand error from the Frenchman to win the first set.
During the changeover, US Captain Patrick McEnroe and Blake sat serenely on the bench while the more animated French Captain Guy Forget encouraged his player as he went out to serve in the second set.
Mathieu levelled after second set tiebreak
The second set was a virtual replay of the first. Both players kept the pressure up but neither could break, forcing a second tiebreak. Mathieu served first and hit a forehand into the net but levelled at 1-1 on a Blake error. Blake just missed a return on the sideline to give the Frenchman a 2-1 lead. Mathieu went up 4-1 with a blistering backhand in the corner past Blake who held for 4-2 then put a forehand over the baseline to give Mathieu a 5-2 lead. Mathieu hit a service winner for 6-2 then squandered his first set point opportunity for 6-3. He was handed the set on a Blake backhand error to level the match at one set all.
The tide turned towards USA at the start of the third set with Blake jumping out to a 3-0 lead. At 4-2, Mathieu challenged Blake’s serve, forcing five deuces before the American held on for a 5-2 lead. Mathieu held serve for 5-3 then Blake converted his first set point to take a two-sets-to-one lead.
In the third game of the fourth set, Blake had his chances to break Mathieu but the Frenchman held on. Then it was Blake’s turn to be tested and Mathieu broke for 3-1. Mathieu served for the set at 5-3, saved one break point then served a timely ace to level the match at two-sets all.
Both players have losing records in five-setters: Blake at 2-10 and Mathieu 3-7 so a win today would be a major personal achievement for either player, notwithstanding what it would mean to their teams and countries. A win by Blake means USA is up 2-0 in the tie; a win by Mathieu makes it 1-1 with the possibility of the No. 10 ranked Richard Gasquet on the final day looming over the Americans.
For Mathieu, it would also be another chance to somewhat erase the five-setter that has haunted his career. Up two sets to love in the final match of the 2002 Davis Cup Final, Mathieu, making his Davis Cup debut, lost the match to Mikhail Youzhny and France the Cup to Russia.
Blake and Mathieu traded breaks of serve to open the set. With Roddick and fifth player Mardy Fish exhorting the crowd on behalf of Blake, the atmosphere was very charged. At 15-30, Mathieu hit a forehand heartbreaker past Blake to set up two break point chances but Blake saved both only to hit a forehand into the net to set up a third opportunity for France. This time, Blake put a forehand wide to give Mathieu a 5-4 lead in the final set.
Unbelievable returns from Blake when down two matchpoints
Blake saved two match points with unbelievable returns then broke to level the set at 5-all. Blake held serve for 6-5 and, after the change of end, virtually bounced to the baseline to receive serve. Mathieu looked nervous and tired and it showed in his play, making sloppy errors to go 15-40 down. Although he saved the first match point with an ace, Mathieu made another error on the second to give Blake the win and USA a 2-0 lead in the tie.
“It was a very close match,” said Mathieu. “He hit two great returns
on the match points. Give credit to him.That’s tennis. I am really disappointed but that’s life.”
Blake was greeted with a huge ovation by his team, a long hug from his mother and brother and a roar from the American crowd to honour his achievement.
A victory by the Americans tomorrow would put them into the semifinals against the winner of the Germany/Spain quarterfinal. Spain leads Germany 2-0 and Rafael Nadal and Co. would relish a chance to play the Americans in a reprise of the 2004 Final.
Related Links on other websites
> Information from USTA
> Infos en francais - FFT
Related Links on Daviscup.com
> Tie Information
> Scorecards and stats from this tie
> Roddick aces his way to victory
> Roddick ready but Gasquet out
Related Audio
 Interview with Patrick McEnroe (USA) - day 1
Interview with James Blake (USA) - day 1
Interview with Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) - day 1
Interview with Guy Forget (FRA) - day 1
 
If you cannot hear the audio, then please update your media player by following one of the links above.
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