The Mardy Show: How Fish Handled the Conditions

The home-and-away format of Davis Cup can lead to some strange playing conditions. There have been few stranger than those in La Santamaria bullring in Bogota, Colombia, where the U.S. labored to stay in the World Group over the weekend. The high altitude?it?s situated at more than 8,000 feet above sea level?and Tretorn pressureless balls made rallies erratic and extremely difficult to control. America?s Sam Querrey struggled with the conditions, falling to Colombia?s Santiago Giraldo in straight sets, but Mardy Fish rose to the occasion, helping to earn all three points in the 3-1 victory for the U.S. How did he adapt so well? We found out from Team USA?s team of trainers and coaches.

Preparation
?We came down here a couple of days early to prepare for the altitude,? says Doug Spreen, a former ATP tour trainer who works with the U.S. Davis Cup team and tours with Andy Roddick. ?We wanted to take the first couple of days easy, let them get used to the conditions without overdoing it, and work our way into shape. The main thing was to make sure that they got the right pre- and post-match stretching, massage, and, in general, leave nothing to chance. Obviously, with Mardy playing so much in three days, he needed extra rubs and such, but overall the guys were fine.?

Adaptability
?We had days where we came here at 8 A.M. and leave at 5 P.M. just trying to get the guys to feel the ball better. Mardy adapted better than others,? says Jay Berger, coach of the U.S. team. ?It is definitely not normal tennis here. Every part of the point is tough, but the hardest is the midcourt balls, which are nearly impossible to handle. You really only have two options: decelerate the racquet-head speed, or slice the ball. And from the baseline if you try and start out playing a little safe, the balls can fly on you and you lose your confidence early. It came down to Mardy getting the ball in the court more than anyone else. I thought it was remarkable how Mardy handled every lull and downturn in the match.?

Mental Toughness
?The key for Mardy all weekend was his mental toughness,? U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe says. ?Because he is so physically fit now, he is mentally much stronger. And also, the experience of having played so many Davis Cup matches before. I am very proud of all the boys, especially Mardy.?

Commitment
?Mardy brought a lot of commitment to the team without any ego,? Berger says. ?Before we had our first practice, he told us that he did not care if he does not play at all, or if he plays every match. He is here to do whatever it takes to the get the win and get back to World Group.?

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