Courier Leads U.S. to Davis Cup Win

Jim Courier used to play these type of important matches all of the time.

Courier, the former world No. 1 who has slipped to No. 54, moved the United States into the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup with a 6-4, 6-7 (7-3), 6-3, 1-6, 8-6 victory against Britain’s Greg Rusedski.

The United States, which won the first two matches in the best-of-5, survived a rally by Britain to set up a quarterfinal match against Australia at the Longwood Cricket Club in Boston in July.

“There is no one I would rather have had play the fifth match,” American team captain Tom Gullikson said. “This it the guy you want there when it is crunch time.”

Tim Henman and Rusedski won Saturday’s doubles against Todd Martin and Alex O’Brien. Henman scored a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) victory over Martin in Sunday’s first reverse singles to even the series for Britain, which was playing in the World Group for the first time since 1992.

Courier blunted Rusedski’s serve with a well-organized game to set up a quarterfinal match against Australia at the Longwood Cricket Club in Boston in July.

Courier, the No. 1 player in parts of 1992 and 1993, started the U.S. victory on Friday with a five-set victory against Henman.

The final set could have swung either way but Courier never gave Rusedski a break point and he won on his first match point, with a powerful serve into the body forcing Rusedski to hit the ball into the net.

Courier led the celebrations after clinching victory. He called the other team members onto the court, they hugged each other, formed a circle and bounced up and down as the Brits consoled each other.

“This is as good as it gets,” Courier said. “The guys in the locker room all said that this is the highest level of tennis that they have been part of in Davis Cup. It was competitive and thrilling. This was the kind of match that gets the kids out wanting to play tennis.”

Rusedski, who foot-faulted 12 times during the 3-hour, 47-minute match, managed to lose his own serve in the opening game of the match despite three aces and that was the only break of the opening set.

The British left-hander squandered three set points at 5-4 in the second and a fourth at 6-5 before winning it in a tiebreaker on his fifth set point when Courier netted a forehand.

Courier edged ahead again when Rusedski double-faulted on break point in the fourth game of the third and won the set 6-3.

Rusedski won the first five games of the fourth set to force the decisive fifth set in front of 9,300 boisterous fans.

Henman, who had been on court a total of 10 hours, 44 minutes during his three matches in three days, clinched his victory when Martin netted a backhand to the roaring delight of the crowd of 9,000.

“Three hours 17 minutes is a little bit short for me,” said Henman, who had been involved in two five-setters.

Martin, who crushed Rusedski in three sets on Friday, appeared on the way to another quick victory when he took the first set and broke to lead 4-3 in the second.

But he was riled by a call at 30-15 in the next game. His backhand volley was called wide, and instead of 40-15 it was 30-30. He went on to lose his serve and, ultimately, the match.