University of Georgia Athletics
Magill: Courier Confident In Isner, Davis Cup Team
March 02, 2011 | Men's Tennis
March 2, 2011
By Dan Magill
This column ran in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sat., Feb. 26.
“We have the Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, in doubles, and they are still the No. 1-ranked team in the world. And we have Andy Roddick (his older brother John played for Georgia) and John Isner (he led Georgia to the NCAA team title in 2007 and was runner-up in the singles)," Courier said by phone.
“We leave (today) to get a few days' practice on Chile's red clay courts, which are much slower than the hard courts that most players usually play on now.”
Jim Courier, a native of Florida, didn't go to college, but he is a Georgia football fan. One of his best friends is George Bezecny of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., who was runner-up to his Georgia teammate Mikael Pernfors in the 1985 NCAA championships.
Bezecny often brought Courier to Athens for Georgia football games, and I would let them sit with me in the press box.
The U.S. last won the coveted Davis Cup in 2007 over Russia, 6-1, in Portland, Ore., on indoor courts. The Bryan twins won the doubles. James Blake (Harvard) won two singles matches. Roddick won a singles match the first day and the match was clinched the second day.
The Americans have won the Davis Cup match 31 times, more than any other country. Dwight Davis (Harvard) originated the Davis Cup competition to “foster good will among the countries of the world.” The first match was held in 1900 with the U.S. defeating Great Britain 3-1 (match was stopped after U.S. won clinching third point).
