Fish Set to Make His Davis Cup Singles Debut

Mardy Fish will make his Davis Cup singles debut in opening the U.S. team’s World Group matches against Croatia today in Zagreb.

Fish will play Ivan Ljubicic, followed by the Americans’ most experienced player, James Blake, against Mario Ancic.

Fish and Blake were also nominated to play the doubles on Saturday, and the reverse singles Sunday.

U.S Captain Patrick McEnroe chose not to use Taylor Dent or Robby Ginepri in the first Davis Cup match between the countries. The best-of-five matches will be played on indoor carpet at the Hall Dom Sportova.

Fish’s only previous Cup experience was pairing with Blake to beat Slovakia in doubles last February in the competition’s first round.

“Mardy has played more matches lately, he’s won more matches. He’s in a little better shape,” McEnroe said.

“Taylor is not as sharp as Mardy is. Mardy is playing with a lot of confidence and started the year well. He’s played Davis Cup in doubles. I just think right now, for the Friday match, he’s the better guy to go with.”

Blake’s record is 4-1 in singles and 3-0 in doubles.

Former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic will play only doubles for Croatia. Ivanisevic had surgery on his left serving shoulder 10 months ago.

“My arm generally is in a bad shape, but it’s not hard [to play] when you have to,” Ivanisevic told Croatian television. “I’ll definitely be registered to play doubles. There’s still some time left until Saturday.”

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Lleyton Hewitt overcame an error-prone start to outclass British left-hander Alex Bogdanovic, 7-5, 6-1, 6-2, today and give Australia a 2-0 lead in its Davis Cup world group first-round match at Sydney.

Earlier, Mark Philippoussis, playing his first Davis Cup match at home in nearly six years, beat Alan Mackin, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. Britain is playing without the injured Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski.

In doubles Saturday, Hewitt and Todd Woodbridge are scheduled to play Arvind Parmar and Miles Maclagan.

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Unseeded Italian Flavia Pennetta upset fourth-seeded Mary Pierce of France, 7-6 (4), 6-3, to advance to the semifinals of the Indian Open at Hyderabad.

In other second-round matches, second-seeded Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand was tested by Russian teenager Maria Kirilenko but prevailed, 7-6 (6), 6-3. In another upset, Akiko Morigami of Japan, ranked No. 128 in the world, defeated eighth-seeded Silvija Talaja of Croatia, 6-4, 6-3.

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Amelie Mauresmo made a strong comeback before a home crowd in Paris, defeating Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, 7-5, 6-2, to reach the quarterfinals of the Gaz de France.

The third-seeded Mauresmo got off to a shaky start, trailing, 4-0, and committing two double faults in her first service game. She won a long rally on her second match point with a backhand crosscourt flick.

Slovakia’s Janette Husarova also gained a berth in the quarterfinals, beating Slovenia’s Tina Pisnik, 6-4, 6-3. Husarova will next play top-seeded Serena Williams.

College Football

As expected, Will Poole, a defensive back from Ventura College, signed a letter of intent with USC.

Poole attended high school in New York and played at Boston College in 2000 but missed the 2001 season after he was suspended for violating team rules. He intercepted seven passes last season for Ventura.

Poole will enroll at USC in the fall as a senior.

Defensive lineman Kevin Brown of Long Beach Poly High signed a letter of intent to attend UCLA, bringing the number of high school players the Bruins have signed to 18.

Brown announced Wednesday that he planned to sign with UCLA, but he balked at the last minute and said he was still considering Florida State.

Former Ohio State linebacker Marco Cooper has pleaded guilty to cocaine possession and faces up to three years in prison for that charge and violating probation. Cooper will be sentenced Feb. 19.

Police said they found cocaine on Cooper and inside a car he was driving when it was stopped for a traffic violation Dec. 16. He has been in jail since his arrest.

Miscellany

John Andretti has been given permission from his NASCAR bosses to race in the Indianapolis 500 this season, just in time to compete against his cousin one last time. Former CART champion Michael Andretti said last week he’ll retire after the Indy 500 in May.

Middleweight world champion Bernard Hopkins (41-2-1, 20 KOs), a Philadelphia native, will face the World Boxing Council’s top contender Mourade Hakkar (29-3, 18 KOs) on March 29 at the First Union Spectrum in his hometown. The card also includes an International Boxing Federation heavyweight elimination bout between Hasim Rahman (25-4, 29 KOs) and David Tua (42-3, 37 KOs).

The New York Jets promoted Jimmy Raye to assistant head coach/senior offensive assistant. Raye joined the Jets as a senior offensive assistant last season. He was hired away from the Washington Redskins, where he was their offensive coordinator in 2001.

Fairfield University is dropping its football and men’s hockey programs. Cutting both teams will save the private Connecticut Jesuit school $570,000, university President Rev. Aloysius P. Kelley. The money will be reallocated to support the school’s student financial aid program.

The Del Rey Yacht Club’s 17th race from Marina del Rey to Puerto Vallarta begins today at 1 p.m. with boats in the Salsa Division.

Starts for eight boats in three classes of the Racing Division are set for next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.