Tennis Week: U.S. To Face Sweden On Carpet Court In Davis Cup Semis

The United States’ road to the Davis Cup final will turn on a fast track in Sweden. Swedish Davis Cup captain Mats Wilander has selected a carpet court for the Sept. 21-23 Davis Cup semifinal against the USA.  
The International Tennis Federation announced Sweden’s surface choice on Davis Cup.com.

The semifinal tie will be staged at the 12,000-seat Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The winner will advance to the Nov. 30-Dec. 2 final against either defending Davis Cup champion Russia or Germany. If the Americans advance, they would either host Russia or play at Germany.

Barring injury, U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe could reconvene the same cast that carried the USA to the final four: Andy Roddick, James Blake and twins Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan.

While there was widespread speculation Wilander would try to exploit the Americans’ weakness by selecting a slow, red clay court, he opted instead to play to his players’ strengths in choosing carpet. Sweden scored a 4-1 victory over 2006 finalist Argentina in the April quarterfinals contested on carpet in Gothenburg on the strength of singles wins from Thomas Johansson, Robin Soderling and Jonas Bjorkman and a doubles victory from Bjorkman and Johansson

Wilander, who discussed the choice with his players and coach Joakim Nystrom, ultimately decided slowing up the surface would not be the wisest way to go, particularly since the USA successfully navigated the red clay route earlier this season. Andy Roddick registered two singles victories, including the clinching four-set conquest of 12th-ranked Tomas Berdych (who beat Soderling in the Monte-Carlo quarters last Friday) to lead the USA to a 4-1 victory over the host Czech Republic in February’s first-round tie on red clay. Roddick hits with heavier topspin than any of the possible Swedish starters, who all tend to hit flatter in playing a more American than European style of baseline tennis.

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