Bryans Give U.S. 2-1 Lead; Hanescu Retires and is Doubtful for Sunday

Bryans Give U.S. 2-1 Lead; Hanescu Retires and is Doubtful for Sunday~~
©Colette Lewis 2006
La Jolla--

Saturday is usually a short day in Davis Cup with only the often pivotal doubles match contested. But no one who made their way to the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club on a cool and foggy morning expected to spend the afternoon watching the McEnroe brothers versus the Bryans in an exhibition match. That’s what they got however, when Romania’s Victor Hanescu was forced to retire with a ribcage ligament tear after thirty-three minutes and the Bryans leading the match 6-2, giving the U.S. a 2-1 lead heading into Sunday’s singles.

Andrei Pavel, who had stunned Andy Roddick in Friday’s first singles match, was expected to play doubles with Hanescu, but in a concession to Pavel’s age and recovery time after a five-set, nearly four-hour marathon against Roddick, Horia Tecau was instead called on to partner Hanescu against the world’s top-ranked doubles team.

It was a baptism by fire for the twenty-one-year-old from Constanta, as the Bryans came out smoking. Every return was in play, no volley too tough, no position too precarious; it wasn’t until Hanescu served down 0-2 that the Romanians won a point, and although he held for 2-1 and Teacu took his next service game, Hanescu soon began clutching his back and two medical timeouts later, the match was over.

“We obviously started strong, so we leave the match feeling good about ourselves,” Bob Bryan said. “We did our part."

"Obviously it would have been great to finish the match, but bottom line is we won," said U.S. Captain Patrick McEnroe. "So we’re up 2-1 and feeling good about our chances tomorrow."

Hanescu’s status for Sunday’s singles match with Roddick is doubtful, pending the results of an MRI. As for Roddick, he was introduced with the U.S. team Saturday afternoon, but did not stay on the bench for the doubles and was still taking fluids and resting.

Asked whether there was a chance Roddick wouldn’t play Sunday, McEnroe quickly dismissed that speculation. “Unless he wakes up in the morning and can’t walk,” said McEnroe. "But, no, I don’t see that happening.”

"Andy is feeling better, his energy is pretty good,” McEnroe reported. "His stomach was still a little big queasy earlier in the day. By the end of tonight and by tomorrow, he’ll be ready to go.”

With the sudden end to the day, it was the McEnroes to the rescue, as John hopped out of The Tennis Channel television booth and onto the court to join brother Pat in a pro set against the Bryans. John makes his return to ATP tour tennis on Wednesday in San Jose, teaming with Jonas Bjorkman in doubles, but he and Patrick presented no problem for the Bryans, who took the set 8-4. The majority of the 5200 spectators appreciated the opportunity to gauge for themselves McEnroe’s chances at a Navratilovan-like career renaissance in doubles, and went home happy with the tennis they saw and the U.S.A’s 2-1 lead.