For Pete’s Sake!

The first day of the Davis Cup quarterfinal between Australia and the United States on Friday looked a lot like a certain semifinal last fall against Italy in Milwaukee. At least partially.

On both occasions, the United States won a single set in two matches, trailing 2-0 after the opening day. One difference, however.

Pete Sampras wasn’t in Milwaukee. He was here at the Longwood Cricket Club, but he might as well have been elsewhere. Sampras was sitting on the sideline, not playing. Instead of hitting winners, he was wearing a towel over his head to protect himself from the searing on-court heat, which went from 111 degrees at mid-day to 126 degrees by the time 18-year-old Australian Davis Cup rookie Lleyton Hewitt beat veteran Todd Martin, 6-4, 6-7 (7-1), 6-3, 6-0, in 2 hours 42 minutes.

Shortly thereafter, two-time U.S. Open champion Patrick Rafter made it 2-0 for the Australians when he defeated Jim Courier, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-4, losing his serve only once.

The 2-0 deficit brought forth two obvious lines of questioning.

Where was Sampras? And why wasn’t he playing?

“I saw Pete,” Courier said. “He was on the sideline.”

The delicate tap dance involving egos and pride put Sampras there. He didn’t want to “jump on the bandwagon” after the first-round victory against Britain. But U.S. captain Tom Gullikson probably could have had the final word, and Martin had even seemed amenable to that possibility at Wimbledon.

“I feel very comfortable, sure, winning and losing doesn’t change that,” Gullikson said of the decision. “The decision is a very good decision.”

The first-day deficit suggested otherwise. The Americans are 1-28 when trailing 2-0--including the loss to Italy in September. The lone victory came against Australia in 1934. Sampras and Alex O’Brien will try to jump-start the team today in the doubles match against Sandon Stolle and Mark Woodforde. The Australians are toying with the idea of replacing Stolle with Rafter, captain John Newcombe said.

On Thursday, Rafter said he felt there was a chance he still might face Sampras on Sunday and felt the same way after his victory against Courier.

Indeed, Sampras could surface if it is still a live match. Changes can be made if there is an injury . . . and of course Martin does have a chronic sore elbow and shoulder. Hmm, and the heat really did take its toll, didn’t it?

“I will have to drink tons of water between now and then,” Martin said. “I don’t really feel too worse, except for the heat.”

Seventy-nine unforced errors bothered him more.

“Is that all?” Martin asked. “. . . Listen, I didn’t play well. I wouldn’t make any bones about it.”

Martin did not feel extra pressure with Sampras sitting on the sideline.

“None at all,” he said. “Listen, if Pete wasn’t comfortable with his position on the team, it would put pressure on me. . . . If we are good enough, we are good enough. If we are not, well, better luck next year, I guess.”

Hewitt was close to fearless in his Davis Cup debut. He learned he would be playing in this tie when he stepped off the plane in Adelaide after Wimbledon, getting news that Mark Philippoussis had suffered a serious knee injury.

“I think Lleyton is one of the few people in the tennis world that have very, very, very great nerves,” Martin said. “He sees big occasions and he attacks them. I don’t think he reacts at all negatively to any situation. It is like Pete: one of the reasons Pete is such a great player is that he has got fabulous nerve.”

Said Newcombe: “He likes the big occasion and he is good in the big occasions. He has got this fire in his belly. That is what he has been born with, and more importantly, he is not afraid to win.”

Hewitt started strong, committing nine unforced errors in the first set to Martin’s 24. He had 10 aces and double-faulted only twice.

“Best win I have ever had,” Hewitt said.

He often has a tendency to turn explosive, most notably melting down at the French Open. But Rafter spoke to him after Paris, counseling him on staying cool under pressure. And now the teenager helped put the Australians on the verge of an upset in this historic tie, celebrating the centennial of Davis Cup.

“Every match is historic, mate, in Davis Cup,” said Rafter, who will become the No. 1 player in the world on July 26. “Every match is the same for me. When I win, I feel the happiest that I ever feel after I win a match.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

DAVIS CUP

Australia leads best-of-five series, 2-0

FRIDAY’S SINGLES

Lleyton Hewitt d.

Todd Martin,

6-4, 6-7 (7-1), 6-3, 6-0

Patrick Rafter d.

Jim Courier,

7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-4

TODAY’S DOUBLES

Pete Sampras and

Alex O’Brien (U.S.) vs. Sandon Stolle and

Mark Woodforde

SUNDAY’S SINGLES*

Martin vs. Rafter

Courier vs. Hewitt

* If necessary