By Liza Horan

Photo courtesy USTA

New York—A grudge match more than 100 years in the making will be played April 11-13 in Winston-Salem, N.C. The competitors, the U.S. and France, are deadlocked at 7-7 and have not faced off in Davis Cup play since 2002 at Roland Garros. Guess who won.

This time the American team is packing a triple-threat:
- Home-court advantage in a state of super-patriotic tennis addicts
- Riding a wave of confidence that came with winning the 2007 Davis Cup championship, for which the players will be presented with 14-karat gold rings prior to the first match
- Solid chemistry of the longest-running team in U.S. history. Patrick McEnroe has captained the line-up of Andy Roddick, James Blake, and Bob and Mike Bryan for 10 straight ties; the previous record of consistency had been three ties. Mardy Fish—a regular alternate—will also participate in the tie.

The French team promises to be formidable with Richard Gasquet, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Michael Llodra, and Arnaud Clement expected to play.

"I've lost to Richard before and their (doubles) team is one of the few that's beat the Bryans," Andy Roddick said in a post-match interview at the Pacific Life Open last week. "It's probably the toughest second round that's going, and we have a lot of respect for their team, that's for sure."

McEnroe said he is especially pumped up for the home tie. "I really think that Winston's a great place for us to go back to, because it sort of kick-started us last year to beat Spain in the convincing way that we did," he said. "I really wanted the guys to get a match at home because I think we'll really be able to enjoy going out there as the champions. I think the crowd will respond to that." 

If the U.S. wins, the team would travel to either Germany or Spain for the World Group Semifinal in September.

Tickets are available by calling 1-888-484-8782. The matches will be broadcast on Tennis Channeland VERSUS.

 

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