Andy aka "The Closer" does it again! Go USA! Bring on the Armada ; we're gonna kick their ass!

You sure USA will kick the Armada's ass?? A big question mark indeed! USA barely survived Chile. Even the tie will be played on fast indoor hard court, the Spaniards are no weaklings on hard courts either, indoor or outdoor!

The Bryans are automatic on any surface. That's one point. The tie is likely to be in Andy's hometown so he won't lose either. If Mardy can get healthy that's just a bonus.

Plus as Ricky Dimon pointed out Rafa probably won't play right after Wimbledon and a 5-tournament clay season in which he'll likely play the maximum number of matches. Even if he does he'll probably be exhausted. Plus Andy beat him in Miami last year. Bye bye Spain!

luckystar - i am more confident in the USA playing Spain at home than the USA playing Chile IN Chile

i don't think you are grasping the importance of home-court advantage in Davis Cup. The home team should win its tie EVERY TIME unless there is just a MASSIVE difference in talent.

Spain will whip USAs ass!

ricky,
What you write about home team advantage... seems to make lots of sense. Do you know whether historically the win has gone to the home team very often when there was no massive difference in talent?

Other than the Bryan brothers, I see the singles as winnable by the Spaniards. Roddick and who from the US side? So Rafa and Ferrer or Verdasco can't deal with the Americans? Why assume Rafa won't be playing or that he'll be tired? Anyway tired or not it's Davis Cup we're talking about, he'll play two more best of five sets match at the most, so I think it's manageable. Furthermore, his level is way above most of the Americans so he can deal with them, tired or not. The only problem is Roddick and we don't know which Roddick will turn up. Best of five sets matches, both Ferrer and Verdasco may stand a chance to beat Roddick. Rafa? Tired or not, he'll battle it out with Roddick on the last day of the tie if the country needs him to win.

In the 2008 final in Argentina, it's not the host country that won. Furthermore, the visiting team was without it's best player then but still managed to come through and won. Nobody thought Spain had a chance then, without Rafa, and having to face two top players in Delpo and Nalby.

As I've mentioned, it depends on which Roddick would turn up. Roddick's performance will also depends on how he fares at Wimbledon; knocked out early, he'll concentrate his effort on the DC. What happen if he reaches yet another final and then lose, say to Rafa this time? Will he still be able to concentrate on the DC?

Which Roddick will turn up? Have you ever watched "The Closer" in action in Davis Cup? Don't forget this tie will likely be in his hometown. Surely you kid when you asked that question! Andy will come ready for battle and will win!

Andy is going to be on a virtual vacation throughout the clay season since he hates it. He'll have lots of energy left no matter how far he gets at Wimbledon.

John and Sam are shaky right now but a healthy Mardy could beat Ferrer or Verdasco.

As far as the final in 2008, it took an injury from Delpo for Spain to win. If you remember it was Jose Acasuso that took his place and lost a 5-setter to Verdasco. That's the only reason Argentina lost. Delpo lost to Feli because he injured himself or he would have taken him out as well as Verdasco. Not to mention Nalby never got a chance to play the second live singles match.

número, why you talk as if you are going for a fight? It's still early days now, you say Fish can beat Ferrer, but the opposite is also true, ie Ferrer can also beat Fish. Roddick may be the 'closer' but Rafa is not bad either, he had only lost one singles DC match so far and that was his very first DC singles match, he lost to Jiri Novak if I'm not wrong. So, it's 50-50 chances that Spain may win. Don't talk as if it's for sure that USA will win, we've to wait and see.

One more point número, about Roddick. It's not about him being tired or not after Wimbledon, it's how a loss at say a final affects him mentally. Remember 2009, when he lost in the final to Fed? It seems his summer hard court season was affected by that. What about Rafa, you may ask, if he suffered a loss at Wimbledon. Remember 2007 Wimbledon final where he suffered his heartbreaking loss in the final to Fed? He went to Stuggart the next week and won the title there. I'm not saying that Rafa is better than Roddick in handling losses in general, but I know winning Wimbledon means much more to Roddick than Rafa at this point in time. Of course all these assumptions are after all only assumptions, Roddick my end up like what you said, being 100% ready for the DC and becomes the hero once again.

I think Spain will win. I don't see any of the american players winning against Rafa. So, that's two. If Ferrer can win one, that is enough. I think Ferrer can also win both his singles. The only doubt is whether Rafa will play. He sounds upbeat. Something tells me, he is going to have a good season.

I think the USA will win. Roddick will go 2-0 in singles, and that includes against Nadal if Nadal plays. Yes, Roddick at home and on a fast indoor hard court will win. Obviously Bryans are a lock, so that's 3 points right there.

Has everyone already forgotten the USO final?! Rafa is not losing to either of the Andys this year, on hard courts at home or anywhere...

oooh stu, how I love such confident predictions....;) and ummmm, wasn't it Nole who lost at the USO final.........I seem to remember darling Andy beat Rafa last year and only lost a very hard fought contest at WTF......

Dunno deuce...Rafa must have been exhausted by the time the WTF rolled around but I really thought he was unbeatable at the USO. Can't make predictions about Nole because he is not the same player he was last year. The Andys are, for the most part. I'm convinced now that you have a bell in your apartment that rings every time Andy is mentioned on tennistalk :)

stu: indeed I do and it's VERY, VERY loud :) :) :) Anyway, who else will defend him? alex only appears when Andy is playing but as I'm interested in lots of players, as well as well as the opinions of lots of the bloggers I tend to be here more often, I guess. Anyway, I can't believe Andy will be as inconsistent as he was last year. Are they playing doubles at Miami btw?

Rafa vs Roddick at the WTF last year? Rafa was rusty then, five weeks without any match play. If Rafa can serve and play like he did at the USO last year, and also like in Tokyo, he's not easy to best in a best of five sets match. Best of five, on both indoor or outdoor hard, adv Rafa. Best of three, on indoor fast hard courts, adv Roddick.

I do not think Roddick can win against Rafa unless it is a very fast indoor hardcourt, in which case chances are 50:50. US will have to consider whether that surface, very fast indoor hardcourt, suits the Bryans.

The Bryans would win on any surface. Check their resume.

If Rafa plays, Spain will win.