Doubles Trouble Puts United States in Tough Position

The name of Saturday’s fifth-set, last-second doubles hero will give you a broad hint, an indicator of just how U.S. captain John McEnroe and his players are doing in the Davis Cup.

Kevin Ullyett.

Indeed, the United States is in a fair bit of trouble. Two service returns down the line in the 12th game of the fifth set from Ullyett and a Rick Leach double-fault on match point have the Americans teetering on the brink of first-round elimination.

Zimbabwe is one match away from sending the United States out of Africa and out of contention for the 2000 Davis Cup. The self-proclaimed underdogs took a 2-1 lead heading into today’s reverse singles as Wayne Black and Ullyett defeated Alex O’Brien and Leach, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 0-6, 7-5, 7-5, in a three-hour 23-minute thriller at the Sports Center.

After Leach’s second serve landed about six inches long on match point, the giddy supporters brought the noise, cheering, singing and, of course, beating the drums. This time, the team’s mascot, the dancing clown, didn’t send himself in.

Instead, one youngster dashed across the court, eluding security, and hugged Ullyett, rubbing the top of his bald head. It was the first Davis Cup doubles match for the journeyman Ullyett.

So, Zimbabwe has two shots today to create another hero. Byron Black, the star of the first day, will play top-ranked Andre Agassi, followed by Wayne Black against rookie Chris Woodruff. The United States has rallied from a 2-1 deficit only three times, most recently in 1981 against Mexico.

“I’m going to say for the record we’re still underdogs,” Wayne Black said. “But we’re going to win.”

Black, who played for Leach’s father, Dick, at USC, is a feisty competitor. He said that McEnroe made a couple of comments, calling them “just little chirps.” Black was more upset when McEnroe questioned a call in the 12th game of the second set, talking to chair umpire Bruno Rebeuh at great length.

“The umpire shouldn’t let him argue like that,” Black said. “It was close to a minute. I’m sitting there ready to serve, and Mac was talking with the guy. The umpire should have just put his foot down.”

Said McEnroe: “People like Wayne Black say I was arguing too long? I love that reverse psychology. If we got it [the call] right the first time, we’d never have the problem.

“If he thinks that was me arguing too long, you know what I wish? That he had played me in my prime. He should picture that on the computer and see what would happen. He’s got to be kidding himself. I think that’s a bunch of baloney, to put it mildly.”

Black said McEnroe made a crack about being lucky to serve with new balls. On the Mac quote meter, that barely registers.

“If they had any proof of that, I’d give them a million dollars,” McEnroe said.

In any event, it would be difficult for someone to pick out a voice or a phrase because of the noise generated by the 4,000 or so fans and the building’s odd acoustics.

“This has been incredible,” McEnroe said. “Win or lose, it’s been incredible. The noise that was generated, it was pretty amazing.”

Said Leach: “Every time I was about ready to serve, people were whistling, a lot of pressure. I just went for it [on match point] and missed a little long.”

Black was asked if he would go to sleep with the sounds of drums in his head. “No, then I wouldn’t sleep,” he said. “But I go to sleep looking forward to the next day, the drumbeat again.”

For Black and Leach, this was the second time in a week they have faced each other in a five-set match. Leach, of Laguna Beach, and his partner, Ellis Ferreira of South Africa, defeated Black and Andrew Kratzmann of Australia in the men’s doubles final of the Australian Open last Saturday in Melbourne.

That match lasted 4:21, including the 18-16 fifth set, which took 2:01 to complete.

Maybe Leach is seeing Black in his sleep. Saturday’s final game won’t go away easily.

Trailing 6-5, Leach and O’Brien went up, 40-15, on Leach’s serve. Ullyett cracked a winning return and it got to deuce when Leach netted a volley. Zimbabwe reached match point when Ullyett unleashed another return winner.

“I’ve been thinking about it ever since we got off the court,” said Leach, who is making his first Davis Cup appearance since 1997. “I’ll be thinking about it all night tonight. It’s not easy.”

Said McEnroe: “So far they [Zimbabwe] have had a nice present, but it would be very sweet to come out of this with a victory. The whole thing would be even more memorable, but positive for us.

“It’s actually exciting to see the interest level and it’s disappointing to see we’re down, 2-1. But we’re fighting to the last drop. That’s it.”

And that ticking noise on the sideline?

“I’m sitting there and coaching,” McEnroe said. “It’s all building up. Like a bomb waiting to explode.”

*

In other series, Russia ousted Belgium, 3-0; Spain swept visiting Italy, Slovakia eliminated Austria and Brazil swept visiting France.

Switzerland took a 2-1 lead over defending champion Australia at Zurich, the Czech Republic took a 2-1 lead over Britain at Ostrava, and Germany led the Netherlands, 2-1.