U.S. Wary of an Ambush

Is another Ivan Ljubicic waiting in the wings?

Croatia’s not-so-secret weapon almost single-handedly took out the United States last year in a first-round Davis Cup upset at Carson. It was the first time the U.S. had lost a home match during Patrick McEnroe’s tenure as captain.

McEnroe called it a difficult loss but also said Thursday, “I wouldn’t say it’s been haunting us. It came down to a couple of points in two different matches.”

Now the U.S., with largely the same team -- subtract Andre Agassi and add James Blake -- is getting ready to play another home match in California, this time at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, about two-plus hours down the road from the Home Depot Center. And against another Balkan nation, Romania.

Talk about tempting fate.

“Maybe we can follow those guys,” said Romania’s captain, Florin Segarceanu, citing the Balkan link.

However, with all due respect to Romania’s top two players, neither appears to be another Ljubicic. Veteran Andrei Pavel, who will open against No. 3-ranked Andy Roddick in the first singles match today, has won three titles on the tour and has reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam just once.

Up-and-comer Victor Hanescu made his name in Paris last year, reaching the quarterfinals at the French Open. But these matches won’t be on clay. He will play Blake in the second singles match today. Blake lost to Agassi in a five-set epic last year in the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open, a place where, incidentally, Hanescu has never won a round.

In the doubles on Saturday, Bob and Mike Bryan, the recently crowned Australian Open doubles champions, are scheduled to play Hanescu and Pavel. The reverse singles are scheduled Sunday.

Roddick made some news Wednesday by announcing a coaching change, naming his older brother John to replace Dean Goldfine.

Andy Roddick spoke about the switch shortly after the official draw ceremony Thursday at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

John Roddick follows previous coaches Tarik Benhabiles, Brad Gilbert and Goldfine. Gilbert coached Roddick when he won the 2003 U.S. Open, and Goldfine signed on in December 2004.

“I just felt like I needed something fresh,” Roddick said Thursday. “It was more of a mutual decision between Dean and I -- I felt like it was getting a little bit stagnant.”