US on a high ahead of Davis Cup tie

Despite a surface tailor-made for their opponents and a Parisian record to make grown men weep, the US Davis Cup team heads into this weeken...

Despite a surface tailor-made for their opponents and a Parisian record to make grown men weep, the US Davis Cup team heads into this weekend’s semi-final against France brimming with confidence.

The Americans — champions a record 31 times — have won only once on Gallic clay in the competition’s 102-year history, and never in the French capital.

But a record of four defeats from four visits will count for nothing when Patrick McEnroe’s young warriors step on to the slow, red Roland Garros surface.

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With Pete Sampras opting to rest after winning a 14th Grand Slam title at the US Open earlier this month, and Andre Agassi in self-imposed Davis Cup exile, Andy Roddick leads the Stars and Stripes into battle.

“I feel good,” he told reporters at the French stadium. “These are the best clay courts in the world here. It’s a pleasure to play on them. The French picked the surface that they felt they had the best chance on… that automatically favours them. If we picked the surface, we’d be the favourites but since they picked it, we’re playing on their soil, on their surface, so I think we are the underdogs.

“But, with that being said, I feel comfortable on clay. I haven’t had a problem playing on it.”

A team spirit runs through the US outfit that could be worth at least one victory over the weekend.

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Roddick said: “The great thing about our team is that every person in the locker room wants to be here.”