BNP Paribas Final - Final Results
 USA
captured its first Davis Cup by BNP Paribas title since 1995
by defeating defending champion Russia 4-1 in the World Group
Final in Portland, Oregon. The home team built up a winning
3-0 lead in two days to enjoy a record 32nd Davis Cup triumph
at the Memorial Coliseum in front of a capacity 12,000 crowd.
US No. 1 Andy Roddick gave the hosts a perfect start with
a 64 64 62 victory over Dmitry Tursunov. James Blake then
won a four-set marathon against Mikhail Youzhny 63 76(4) 67(3)
76(3) in three hours 29 minutes. Bob and Mike Bryan sealed
USA’s victory with a comfortable 76(4) 64 62 win over
Igor Andreev and Nikolay Davydenko. In Sunday’s dead
rubbers, Andreev defeated Bob Bryan 63 76(4), before Blake
overcame Tursunov 16 63 75.
Team spirit was the key to the US victory, with the quartet
unchanged for the last eight ties, and Roddick and the Bryan
brothers ever present since captain Patrick McEnroe introduced
the specialist doubles team in the 2003 World Group Play-offs.
Roddick remained unbeaten in six singles rubbers in 2007,
while the Bryans won all four doubles rubbers to extend their
Davis Cup win-loss record to 13-1.
“Commitment,” was the one word McEnroe used to
sum up his seven-year quest for the Davis Cup. “You
know, these guys have been a hundred percent committed to
each other and to the cause of playing for their country,
but also for each other, and for the fans of Davis Cup.”
Roddick also praised the spirit in the American camp: “To
be here and bring the Cup back to the States is an amazing
feeling. But more important, just to share the journey with
these guys, it’s just been so much fun. For us to have
our moment, I feel like we really do deserve it. We’ve
been the ultimate team.”
The final was a fitting conclusion to this year’s Davis
Cup, which saw USA produce two away victories for the first
time since 1995, the last time it won the trophy. Wins over
Czech Republic in the first round and Sweden in the semifinals
came either side of a quarterfinal home victory over Spain.
The Americans are on their travels again in February when
they begin their title defence with a first round tie against
Austria in Vienna.
The International Tennis Hall of Fame and the ITF announced
that former United States Davis Cup victor Stan Smith is this
year’s recipient of the Davis Cup Award of Excellence.
Smith was a significant factor in seven US Cup victories and
overall played in Davis Cup for eleven years. Despite losing
in the Final, Russia retains its place at the top of the ITF
Davis Cup Nations Ranking, ahead of USA.
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