Davis Cup Tie Can Be Had for a Song

For the sake and health of Alex O’Brien and Jared Palmer, let’s hope the necessary adjustments are made to the Czech Republic’s national anthem before today’s doubles match in the Davis Cup quarterfinals at the Great Western Forum.

After a fast and furious opening day--in which the shocking (Pete Sampras losing) and the expected (Andre Agassi winning) occurred within a few hours Friday--the score read: Czech Republic 1, United States 1 and International Incident 1.

Jiri Novak played one of the best matches of his career, defeating Sampras, 7-6 (1), 6-3, 6-2. It was the worst singles loss in Sampras’ Davis Cup career. But Agassi put the United States back on level terms with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 dismantling of Slava Dosedel.

The International Incident came when the Czech Republic’s national anthem was botched before the opening match, apparently, stemming from the failure to recognize the breakup of Czechoslovakia.

“If they do it [again], you don’t know, the poorguys. Poor O’Brien and Palmer,” Czech captain Jan Kukal said, smiling.

Kukal and Slava Dosedel expressed their anger at the mishap. Said Dosedel: “I started to whistle.”

But all week, U.S. captain John McEnroe has been talking about the nature of Davis Cup. Essentially, stuff happens. Weird stuff.

Who would have thought an anthem would become a major talking point?

“It help us, maybe,” Kukal said. “Because we kind of lost respect. That’s why Novak played without respect. Maybe it helped Jiri, you know. He got really angry and he woke up in the dressing room.”

Of course, you can’t blame the anthem for everything. How often does Sampras miss all 11 break-point opportunities?

“It was a shocking, shocking situation,” McEnroe said. “Perhaps I should have expected Novak to play that well. But I didn’t foresee that. There was a danger of me actually relaxing a little bit if we’d gotten up 2-0, so that was quickly dispelled. They want to make sure I don’t sleep a whole lot.”

Now, the attention turns to doubles. O’Brien and Palmer decided to play together this year for the purpose of Davis Cup and the Olympics, and they have defeated the Czech team of Novak and David Rikl twice in 2000.

The teams can make a change in the lineup up until one hour before the match today. Veteran Martin Damm is a possibility. He and Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia defeated O’Brien and Palmer in the semifinals of the Ericsson Open in three sets. O’Brien and Palmer squandered a 4-1 lead in the third set in that match, and O’Brien felt it was not one of their better performances, saying they were “flat.”

“They [Novak and Rikl] played very, very badly,” Kukal said of the Ericsson loss to O’Brien and Palmer.

“Then we sent Damm on the court and he beat them. But we are not having Hrbaty obviously. Otherwise, then you could play Czech and Slovak anthem. It all comes together.”

Whatever happens today, it will still be a live match Sunday. In the reverse singles, Agassi faces Novak, followed by Sampras against Dosedel. Worst-case scenario for the United States: The Sampras match may not mean anything, if the Czechs win the doubles and Novak turns in another superb performance.

McEnroe felt he could have done more for Sampras.

“There’s no question,” he said. “I feel similar, in a sense, to what happened when Chris [Woodruff] was down in Zimbabwe. It’s more surprising than even that.”

He felt the crowd of 11,206 was on the verge of exploding during the first match, but didn’t quite get there, nor did Sampras.

“One of the things was that I didn’t feel like there was a lot of emotion,” McEnroe said. “Part of me wanting to stand up and say, ‘Come on!’ But it takes time.”

McEnroe learned on the job in Zimbabwe, and he’s still doing the same in the quarterfinals here.

“It doesn’t take Albert Einstein to answer that,” he said of the importance of the doubles. “Every match is going to be a lot more important. That’s what it’s all about.

“You’re seeing it once again. We’re expected to be up 2-0, and we’re in a dogfight and we have to figure out a way to bring out the best in these guys.”

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Davis Cup

U.S. vs. CZECH REPUBLIC

Great Western Forum

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Friday’s Results

Jiri Novak d. Pete Sampras, 7-6 (1), 6-3, 6-2

Andre Agassi d. Slava Dosedel, 6-3,6-3,6-3

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Today’s Doubles

Alex O’Brien/Jared Palmer vs. Novak/David Riki

1 p.m. (ESPN, 2 p.m.)

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SAMPRAS UPSET: Page 8

AGASSI RESPONDS: Page 8

DIANE PUCIN: Page 8

ROUNDUP: Page 8