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Davis Cup

Former Olympian, Davis Cupper, French Open Doubles Champ Ryan Harrison Leads 2021 Mardy Fish Tennis Entries

Randy Walker · October 9, 2021 · Leave a Comment

Former French Open doubles champion and U.S. Olympic and Davis Cup team member Ryan Harrison is among the leading entries in the $15,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships to be held October 18-24 at The Boulevard Tennis Club.

Harrison is among the 18 confirmed main draw singles player to date who will compete in Vero Beach’s annual professional tennis tournament that is part of the International Tennis Federation’s World Tennis Tour and the U.S. Tennis Association’s Pro Circuit. The tournament serves as the largest fundraiser for the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, the non-profit organization founded by Vero Beach native Mardy Fish, the former top 10 tennis star, 2004 Olympic silver medalist and the current U.S. Davis Cup captain.

Harrison, 29, was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic tennis team and the U.S. Davis Cup team in 2012 and 2018. He won the 2017 French Open doubles title with Michael Venus as the highlight of his five career ATP singles and doubles titles to date, also winning the ATP singles title in Memphis in 2017. Harrison has played in 29 Grand Slam main draw singles tournaments in his career, reaching the third round at the U.S. Open in 2016 and the Australian Open in 2018. He ranked as high as No. 40 in the ATP rankings in 2017, but has seen his ranking fall to a current ranking of No. 475, due to injuries and limited playing opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The No. 2 leading entry is No. 476-ranked Patrick Kypson of Raleigh, N.C., the winner of the 2017 USTA National Boy’s 18 Championships who competed in the main draw of the 2017 U.S. Open and played for one season for Texas A&M. Also in the field is University of Florida standout Ben Shelton of Gainesville, Fla., who clinched the NCAA team title for the Gators last May playing for his father, Florida head coach Bryan Shelton. During the U.S. Open qualifying tournament in August, ESPN’s Brad Gilbert predicted Shelton would be in the top 100 in the world within three years.

Other leading entries include Liam Draxl of Canada, who was the No. 1 seed at the 2021 NCAA singles championship competing for the University of Kentucky, Juncheng Shang of China, the singles runner-up at the 2021 U.S. Open junior championships, and Evan Zhu of Ann Arbor, Mich., the 2018 NCAA doubles champion at UCLA. The tournament will also feature several fan favorites from previous editions of the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships including 2018 champion Juan Benitez of Colombia, 2016 semifinalist Vasil Kirkov of Tampa, Fla., 2018 semifinalist Strong Kircheimer of Cary, N.C., three-time Mardy Fish wild card event winner Matthew Segura of Apopka, Fla., the great nephew of tennis legend Pancho Segura, and 2018 runner-up Ricardo Rodridugez of Venezuela, who is fresh off playing Davis Cup for his country last month against South Africa at the historic West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills.

“This is the best player field this tournament has had since it started in 1995,” said co-Tournament Director Tom Fish, the President Emeritus of the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation and the father of Mardy Fish. “To have in our field a player like Ryan Harrison, with a resume that includes a Grand Slam doubles title, along with many talented young players who have won and contended for junior Grand Slam tournament titles, USTA National Championships and NCAA Championships, makes the anticipation for this event as high as it has ever been.”

Due to COVID protocols, limited seating is available via reserved tickets and sponsorships. No daily tickets are being sold. Those interested in reserved tickets or sponsorships can contact Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Executive Director Lynn Southerly at LSouth1072@gmail.com The tournament is traditionally held in late April but was postponed to October due to COVID-19.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to once again host this event at The Boulevard in continued challenging times,” said Southerly. “Unfortunately, we are only able to accommodate event sponsors and those who buy reserved seats for the entire tournament as spectators due to COVID protocols with the condensed player and fan areas at the event. All proceeds for the event benefit the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation so at-risk children in Indian River County will be the real winners at our event this year.”

Some of the past competitors at the USTA Vero Beach Futures have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic and most recently new top 10 start Denis Shapovalov, who played in Vero Beach in 2016. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Eight former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young, Ryan Harrison, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul.

Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,400  children in 15 elementary schools, six middle schools,  and several other community organizations in Indian River County, Florida by funding after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.

Leading tournament sponsors for 2021 include Presenting Sponsor: PNC Bank, Grand Slam Sponsors: Boston Barricade, George E. Warren Corporation, The Jake Owen Foundation, John’s Island Real Estate, Tom Collins Insurance, Cabana/Box Seat Sponsors: Michael and Kathleen Pierce, Gene Simonsen, John and Charlotte Klein, Peter and Maureen Lee, John’s Island Real Estate, Wilmington Trust, Bob and Lace Milligan, Micky and Rob Stein, Bob and Emilie Burr, Lynn Southerly, John and Sara Marshall, John and Marie McConnell, Shirley Becker, Hadleigh Investments and Supporting Sponsors: Syde Hurdus Foundation, Mike and Meg Hickey/The M&M Group, Nalzarro Music, Flat Rock Global, LLC, Hoskins, Turco, Lloyd & Lloyd, Kitchens by Design, Diamond Resorts, Center Court Outfitters, Foglia Contracting, Offfutt, Barton, Schlitt, Inc, Joe and Gloria Papalardo, Dave and Nina Piacquad, Baerbel O’Haire, Dr. Curtis Dalili, Line Ory, Rebecca Emmons, Linda Johnson, Pene Chambers, Felicia Payton, Kaye Manly, Kathy Silloway, Willem and Marion DeVogel, Ron Chesley, Dr. Collin Kitchell and Minuteman Press.

Ryan Harrison
Ryan Harrison

Features Davis Cup, ITF, Mardy Fish, Ryan Harrison, USTA, Vero Beach

Irish Davis Cupper Julian Bradley To Play Feature 6:45 PM Match Monday At Mardy Fish Tennis at The Boulevard

manfr3dw · April 29, 2019 · Leave a Comment

Julian Bradley, a member of Ireland’s Davis Cup team, will be part of the featured 6:45 pm night match Monday at the $25,000 Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships at The Boulevard tennis club in Vero Beach.
Bradley, a resident of Dublin, will face Duke recruit Garrett Johns of Atlanta in the first round of the 32-player qualifying tournament for this 25th annual professional tennis tournament that is part of the International Tennis Federation World Tennis Tour and part of the USTA’s Competitive Pathway.
The other feature match Monday afternoon will be Magnus Johnson of Naples, Florida, who won the special Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation pre-qualifying tournament last week, playing at 5 pm against Alan Kohen of Argentina on the Grandstand Court. Sixteen first round qualifying singles matches will be played Monday on four courts starting at Noon.
Both Bradley and Johnson are part of the 32-player qualifying tournament that will be played Monday and part of Tuesday to determine eight positions in the main draw of this event. Players will have to win two matches on Monday and Tuesday to qualify for the main draw of the event that will begin on Tuesday.
Matches begin Monday at noon with former University of Minnesota standout Matic Spec of Slovenia, the No. 1 seed in the 32-player qualifying event, taking on very uniquely-named Kakaka’loikamalie Companion of Honolulu, Hawaii first at noon. The second match on Stadium will feature Bolivian Davis Cupper Boris Arias, a former college tennis standout at LSU, taking on Chris Rosensteel of East Windsor, N.J., who competed in the tournament’s pre-qualifying event last week. The third match on Stadium will feature Jamaican Davis Cupper Rowland Phillips against Mihnea Lorin Stefan Turcu of Romania.
Bradley has been part of Ireland’s Davis Cup contingent the last years after playing college tennis at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. Bradley’s story of tennis development is an incredible one as he did not even pick up tennis until the age of 14, working on his family’s farm in the village of Carlow, Ireland, south of Dublin. When he was 16 years old, he commuted nearly four hours a day every day to Dublin to work with the best tennis coaches in Ireland. After studying dentistry for two years at Trinity University in Ireland, he transferred to the University of North Florida.
“Julian is an under-the-radar type of guy who just gets on with business,” wrote former top 200 ATP player from Ireland James McGee on Facebook. “His work ethic is better than anyone I’ve ever seen and he is known in tennis circles for being an animal!”
Bradley last year lost in the final of the then 128-player qualifying rounds of this tournament at Grand Harbor and defeated “King of the Hill” champions Mike Alford and Robert Kowalczyk of Vero Beach in the first round of doubles.
Johns was a quarterfinalist in 2017 at the USTA National Boy’s 16 Championships in Kalamazoo, Michigan and won the USTA National Boys’ 16 Clay Court Championships in 2017. He will enroll to play college tennis at Duke starting in the fall of 2019.
“When I think of Garrett’s game, I think of the word solid,” said Duke University tennis coach Ramsey Smith, the son of tennis legend Stan Smith. “He does not blow you away with flash, but has a high tennis IQ, moves well and makes a ton of balls. Garrett’s consistency and heart has the ability to frustrate opponents and push them past their breaking points. The longer the match, the better for Garrett.”
The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships is regarded as one of the best entry-level professional tennis tournaments in the world. Proceeds from the event benefit the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, the non-profit tennis foundation benefiting children, named for Vero Beach native son Mardy Fish, the former top 10 tennis star and the current U.S. Davis Cup captain. The event will be held April 29 – May 5 at The Boulevard tennis club in Vero Beach.
Founded in 2007, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation (www.MardyFishFoundation.com and @MardyFishFound on Twitter) currently supports over 2,200 children in 15 elementary schools, six middle schools and two after school centers in Indian River County, Florida by funding after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives. The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily, Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.
Tournament tickets and sponsorships for the event can be purchased at www.MardyFishChildrensFoundation.org Daily tickets for the April 29-May 5 are $20, with “night session” tickets starting at 5 pm from April 29 – May 4 costing $10. Season tickets for every session of the event are $100. Admission for children 18 and under is free. Fans can follow news and developments on the tournament on Facebook and on Twitter at @VeroFutures. Detailed sponsorship information can be obtained by emailing Tom Fish at Ttfish10s@aol.com or Randy Walker at RWalker@NewChapterMedia.com Approximately 3,000 fans annually attend the event, which is seen as one of the best-attended entry-level professional events in the world.
Some of the past competitors at the USTA Vero Beach Futures have gone on to succeed at the highest levels of professional tennis, winning major singles and doubles titles, Olympic medals and Davis Cup championships and earning No. 1 world rankings. Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who attained the world No. 1 ranking and helped the United States win the Davis Cup in 2007, competed in Vero Beach in 1999. Thomas Johansson of Sweden, who reached the second round of the Vero Beach Futures in 1995, won the Australian Open seven years later in 2002. Nicolas Massu, the 1998 singles runner-up in Vero Beach, won the singles and doubles gold medals at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, beating Fish in the gold medal singles match. Kyle Edmund, the 2013 champion in Vero Beach, helped Great Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015. Other notable former competitors in Vero Beach include former world No. 2 Magnus Norman, former world No. 4 Tim Henman, 2016 Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic and most recently world No. 50 player and teen sensation Denis Shapovalov, who played in Vero Beach in 2016. Former Vero Beach competitors have combined to win 19 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at Grand Slam tournaments. Seven former Vero Beach players have gone on to play Davis Cup for the United States – Roddick, Fish, Taylor Dent, Jared Palmer, Donald Young, Ryan Harrison and Frances Tiafoe.
The tournament schedule is as follows:
Monday, April 29
Qualifying Tournament Begins – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Tuesday, April 30
Qualifying Tournament Ends, Main Draw Begins – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Wednesday, May 1
Main Draw Singles & Doubles – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Thursday, May 2
Main Draw Singles & Doubles – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Friday, May 3
Main Draw Singles & Doubles – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm, 6:45 pm
Saturday, May 4
Singles Semifinals, Doubles Final – The Boulevard Tennis Club, Noon, 5 pm
Sunday, May 5
Singles Final – The Boulevard Tennis Club, 1 pm
Tournament sponsors for 2019 include Presenting Sponsor PNC Bank, Grand Slam Sponsors Boston Barricade, George E. Warren Corporation and the Jake Owen Foundation, Cabana/Box Seat Sponsors John’s Island Real Estate, John Klein, Gene Simonsen, TeamChristopher.com, Dan Holman, Hadleigh Investments, Pene Chambers / Lynn Southerly, Lace and Bob Milligan / Mickey and Rob Stein, William Barhorst, CPA, Michael and Kathleen Pierce, The Pitcher Family, Shirley Becker, Scoreboard Sponsor Fit for Life / Syde Hurdus Foundation Backhand Sponsors Vero Beach Magazine, Rossway Swan, Nalzaro Music, Coastal Van Lines, Diamond Resorts International, Forehand Sponsors Karen and Steve Rubin, Mike and Meg Hickey / Premier Estate Properties, Shaklee / Suzie Sunkel, Indian River Animal Hospital – Charles B. Johnson, DVM, Marjorie Johnson, DVM, MS, DAVP, Serve Sponsors Cravings, Bistro Fourchette, Willem and Marion DeVogel, Foglia Custom Homes Topspin Sponsors Alex MacWilliam Real Estate, Eternal Water, Kit Fields Realtor, Patrick Williams / Tom Collins Insurance, Riverside Café, MinuteMan Press, Center Court Tennis Outfitters, Drop Shot Sponsors Treasure Coast Financial Planning, Inc., Peter and Judith Saidel, Deb Benjamin, Paul & Linda Delaney, Stewart Dunn, Susan Flannery (Aluma Tower), Tom Flannery (Malesardi, Quackenbush, Swift and Company LLC, Jim & Suzi Keegan, Don Moyle, Dee Patberg, Fran Smyrk (Treasure Coast Sotheby’s), Gary & Beth Williams, ABCO Garage Door Company, Inc., Barker Air Conditioning & Heating, Busy Bee Lawn & Garden Center, Coastal Comforts at the Village Shops, Colton, Williams & Reamy, CPAs, Complete Electric, Inc., Complete Restaurant Equipment, LLC, Glacier Clear Pool Service, Jack’s Complete Tree Service, Inc., Jimmy’s Tree Services, Ken’s Pool Service, ML Engineering, Inc., Nozzle Nolen, Inc., O’Haire, Quinn, Casalino, Chartered, Rich Look Lawn Care, Rick’s Custom Care, Statewide Condominium Insurance, Steve Supplee Construction LLC, Summit Construction of Vero Beach, LLC, Sunshine Furniture, White Glove Moving & Storage and Wilco Construction, Inc.

Julian Bradley
Julian Bradley

Features, Vero Beach Champions Davis Cup, Julian Bradley, Mardy Fish, Vero Beach

Mardy Fish Press Conference Transcript: Mardy Fish Named U.S. Davis Cup Captain

manfr3dw · January 9, 2019 · Leave a Comment

United States Tennis Association Media Conference
Wednesday January 9, 2019
New York, New York
Mardy Fish
Patrick Galbraith
Stacey Allaster
Martin Blackman
BRENDAN McINTYRE: Thank you, everyone, for joining the call today. We’re incredibly excited to make this announcement. We are joined by the USTA chairman of the board and president, Patrick Galbraith; chief executive professional tennis from the USTA, Stacey Allaster; the general manager of player development, Martin Blackman; and our new Davis Cup captain, Mardy Fish.
I will turn it over to Patrick for some comments.
PATRICK GALBRAITH: Today we are pleased to announce Mardy Fish named the U.S. Davis Cup captain. We’re thrilled with the excitement and passion Mardy is going to bring to the team. As a former player, I know Mardy will inspire our players to get success throughout the year and years to come.
I also want to thank Jim Courier for his time and his leadership as Davis Cup captain. He’s been a great ambassador for our team.
With that, I would like to turn it over to Stacey Allaster, chief executive of professional tennis.
STACEY ALLASTER: Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. Still a few days, Happy New Year.
I think before I say my remarks, thank you, everyone, in advance for all the support you’ll give us in 2019 to support our athletes, our tournaments and everything we’re doing for the game at the USTA. That’s what today’s call is really all about.
When we look at our pro tennis assets, what we’re trying to do is really integrate those assets to further utilize and optimize, to support our player development goals, and to grow the game through our Net Generation initiatives throughout the country.
We started this process a few years ago when Kathy Rinaldi was appointed our Federation Cup captain. Last couple of years, Jim Courier stepped up, as well, in this new model where he played an ambassadorial role for our Net Generation launch. He was also really helpful and successful in working with Martin Blackman as it relates to full integration with Team USA.
I’ll turn it over to Martin to give you more details on how this position will evolve even further with our new Davis Cup captain, Mardy Fish.
MARTIN BLACKMAN: Thanks, everyone for making the call.
Just a couple things on the front end. I want to just recognize Patrick Galbraith for initiating what has been a very deliberate process to identify our next captain. I also want to recognize and thank Jim Courier, who has been a great captain, great to work with.
As we looked for our new captain, we saw an opportunity to expand the role and have a year-round presence for the captain, and even more integration with player development. Jim Courier, Captain Courier, was great to work with, so generous with his time. With this new role, we’re going to be able to even expand it more.
Mardy will be able to go to selected tournaments throughout the year to interface with our top players and their private coaches. The guys have told us that that support year-round at the tournaments on the outside courts just means so much to them. Obviously that will enable Mardy to get to know their games even more so that when we get to Madrid, we’ve got that competitive advantage.
Also Mardy in this role will be a great ambassador not just for American tennis and our top players but also for our Net Generation youth initiative, which is really our focus right now at the base to grow the game.
In his position of leadership, he’s going to be someone who kids look to as an inspirational figure. When they see Mardy and the guys with that jacket in Madrid representing Team USA, they’ll also know that Mardy really cares about every kid who picks up a racquet.
So excited to have Mardy on the team. He knows our coaches really well in the pro space. He has unbelievable relationships with our top players. I just know that it’s going to be a great era that we’re entering into with Mardy as captain.
BRENDAN McINTYRE: We’ll turn it over to our newest Davis Cup captain, Mardy Fish.
MARDY FISH: Thank you. Obviously I thank everyone for being on the call today.
It’s a really special morning out here in L.A., no doubt. Ever since I turned pro, was a practice partner, I’ve been through a few generations of Davis Cup captains, all the way back to Johnny Mack in 1999 in Santander. It’s been something that is a dream job for me, something that I won’t take for granted, and am completely honored. It’s just incredibly special to even be mentioned as a possible candidate.
To be the Davis Cup captain, the next Davis Cup captain, incredibly humbled. I can’t even express how excited I am, how excited I am that the players have supported the decision. The friendships I’ve made throughout the years, relationships of all the players, not just the top players, is very special.
I’ve answered the call every time P Mack or Jim had asked me to play, whether it was a practice partner or an actual player on the team. I can’t tell you how excited I am to get started, to start sort of integrating the future players with the current players. We’ve got a really fun and exciting time in U.S. tennis right now.
BRENDAN McINTYRE: I think at this juncture, we are ready to switch over to the Q&A portion of the call.
Q. What are your concerns about the reformatted Davis Cup and player participation in that regard? It’s still early in the process, but can you address that, where you see that might be going.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, no, I’ve spoken with all the players already. We just sort of called out to all of them sort of last night. They’re all very excited. Everyone is really excited about the idea of the reform, the new format, sort of a World Cup of tennis, if you will.
It’s going to be interesting for all parties to see how it goes. I think it’s going to be awesome personally. I was excited about the change initially. I know all the players are, as well. All the ones that I’ve spoken to just briefly, just over the years, knowing how much all the way from our top player John Isner, to the guys that haven’t been able to play yet, want to play badly, Taylor Fritz, Reilly Opelka, they’re all really excited about the new format.
Q. In terms of how you’re going to find the time, because you’ve been starting off your foundation in Florida, will you be able to continue that or are you going to have to take a holiday from that?
MARDY FISH: No, no, my foundation is a huge part of my life. My father runs it in Vero Beach. We’ve been doing it for 12 years now. We have our next one here January 14th. I will always find time for my foundation.
But I’m very excited about the idea and prospect. When I sort of knew I was retiring, knew the timetable, one of the first people that I called was Martin Blackman. I always knew that I wanted to help sort of mentor and coach. I love helping to guide not for profit, but how can I figure out how to be involved and just help.
I knew that the West Coast training center out here in Carson, California, was a few miles away, sometimes an hour and a half away in traffic out here, but not too far away. So that was something that we put in place even while I was still playing, trying to help, trying to figure out exactly the perfect role for how much I can give and how much I can help and where that fits in with the USTA.
Obviously selfishly this is, in my opinion, the best job that anyone can have in tennis after you retire. The only thing better would be a playing captain. We don’t need to worry about that.
Honestly, this is the most exciting position that I could possibly imagine. Like I said before, I’m so honored. Speaking with Jim Courier just yesterday, Patrick McEnroe this morning, Tom Gullikson late last night, I can’t believe that I’m going to be guiding these guys. I can’t tell you how excited I am.
Q. Mardy, can you speak to the new role, maybe expand on how you’ll be working with USTA Player Development throughout the year.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, absolutely. That has always been something that I’ve been excited about. Like I just mentioned, sort of helping any and all of the players, mentoring the players new and old, present and future. It’s just something that I’m very passionate about.
I love learning from, A, my mistakes, growing, maturing that way throughout my career, sort of being able to guide these players along, even the guys that won’t be playing Davis Cup, won’t be a part of it necessarily, trying to build that team camaraderie around everyone.
There was a text message that I sent out last night with 25 guys on it. It wasn’t just sort of the five guys that I want to play with in November. All the way down the list, I want everyone to feel like they’re part of Team USA, wanted and welcomed at all times.
They’ve always known that. Like I said before in the last question, just finding that perfect role was Martin and I’s sort of juxtaposition initially working with Taylor Fritz for a couple years, helping with Jared Donaldson, helping with Jack Sock earlier last year, just kind of mentoring and learning.
I went through a lot of up and downs in my career. It was from tack of work ethic, motivation, discipline, professionalism. It wasn’t because I wasn’t a hard worker, I just didn’t truly understand what it took to get everything out of what you have, what you’re given.
Luckily I found that out and did that, did everything I could possibly do. I made every decision that I could possibly make as a player around me trying to be the best player I could possibly be. Learning from those mistakes that I made, from the things that I’ve learned while getting everything out of the work ethic, understanding the professionalism, the dedication that it does take on a day-by-day basis.
I want to try as best I can to sort of motivate those guys and show them, extend the years on their careers, quicken the careers from where they may be as quickly as possible on the fast track.
Q. Colombia 2010, you swept the three matches, 14 sets. Talk about what that meant to you or a favorite moment from there. Talk about the Davis Cup and American tennis. It’s been a while since we prevailed. Is it still important and relevant to the game in America?
MARDY FISH: I know with the players, it certainly is. They’re very excited. They’re always excited. I think Martin, Stacey can speak on how involved the players wanted to be in the choice of this captain, this captaincy.
I’ve always told Martin I wish he was the head of player development while I was playing. Man, does he have the players’ backs, looking at the best interests of how do we get everything out of every player, how can we put them in the best possible position.
These guys are excited about it. That’s our goal, right, is to grow the game in the States, also bring back the Cup really. Since 2007, which I had a small part in, it’s been that we haven’t won it.
I know it’s a really fun time to come in because we have some really young players that are just learning how to win and how to go through the rigors of the tour on a daily basis, weekly basis, how to pick their schedules, how to go about their careers. We have some older guys that also like to help.
John Isner is a huge asset for us, period, obviously a great player, but also a great guy, someone who has always been open to discussions on how players play. Certainly a student of the game. I’m going to lean on a lot of the former players as well. Some of my best friends, Andy Roddick, James Blake, these guys that I talk to almost on a daily basis about the game. I talk to Andy a ton about the game now, his thoughts. Certainly going to lean on him a lot as well as this process unfolds.
To answer the first part of your question, Colombia, there are a lot of USTA sort of board members, there were a ton of people in Monte-Carlo, there were a ton of USTA people in Madrid. There weren’t very many in Bogota, Colombia. There weren’t that many of us that were there and really understood the conditions and how hard it was to play in that tie with pressure-less balls at 10,000 feet, figuring out the first day we got there we couldn’t walk up the stairs without being out of breath, playing 14 sets in three days. Certainly Davis Cup-wise, that was my most proud moment, there’s no doubt about it.
The last tie that I played 2012 in Switzerland, beating Wawrinka on the clay in singles, a long five-setter, then taking out that Federer guy with Mike Bryan.
It’s been a fun ride playing-wise in Davis Cup. Some lows, but certainly a lot of great memories. I just hope that continues.
Q. You obviously went through the health issues. How did that put the sport of tennis in perspective for you?
MARDY FISH: That’s a whole different discussion. Mental health is a whole different discussion. Obviously it’s something that I’m incredibly passionate about on a whole ‘nother level.
It changed my life. I didn’t know anything about mental health. No one around me had any issues with mental health. It really blindsided me personally. It blindsided my family.
Thank God for the support system that I had. Who knows where I’d be. There’s no telling. Certainly got a great grasp on it. It’s been a lot of years, something that I’ll always have in my life, always have to deal with in a small part, but always have those memories of how it came about, just learning from all of the situations that I go through.
Yeah, mental health is a huge part of a lot of people’s lives, millions and millions of people in this country, around the world. It’s something that another conversation we can have, a long conversation that I’d love to have.
Q. Talk about the advice that past Davis Cup captains have given you, and what do you think is going to be your biggest challenge as the Davis Cup captain?
MARDY FISH: I have great relationships with all of those guys that I played for and with. Incredible amount of respect for Patrick McEnroe and Jim Courier. I can’t tell you enough about how supportive Jim has been since they decided to name me as the captain, as well as throughout when I played with him. It was so cool to be part of playing and having someone like him.
As a player, you sit down on the changeover. It doesn’t matter what situation you were in, had been in at that time, you knew that he had been in the exact same situation at one time or another. It felt really good to be able to sit down next to someone who was supportive, who was a friend as well as your coach and a captain. Just learning from them and understanding the support.
I’ll certainly be a player’s captain, I mean, just my relationships with the guys, the relationships that I’ve made are very special throughout the years. I played in this era not too long ago.
To a lot of the guys, this is a coaching aspect as well. The bottom line is you want to win in this competition. A lot of these guys I played against. There’s a unique effect there, to be able to draw on past experiences of some of the guys I’m sure we will play in competition. That’s nice.
I think the hardest part, which is the most exciting part as well for me, in my opinion, is just trying to mold together the future with the present. I think it will be easy. Everyone gets along really well. But that’s the most exciting and challenging part of all of it.
Q. Can you explain how you plan on using the captaincy to integrate Net Generation into Davis Cup, bridge the young players in?
MARDY FISH: As well as being the Davis Cup captain, you’re the ambassador, you’re a face of American tennis, one of the faces of American tennis. You certainly want to grow the game and make sure that it’s in good hands when you leave it, as well. We want to build and promote the game as best as we can. You want to make sure that you leave the game in a better place, leave Davis Cup in a better place, than when you got it.
I certainly love that opportunity. I love the idea. That was something that I was very excited about being able to be a part of that, just having that platform to promote, grow.
Obviously tennis has been my life. My father went to the US Open even before I was born as a fan. Tennis he’s a part of my family and my life forever. To have this unique opportunity to be able to grow the game, to be able to promote the game, is a very special honor that I will not take lightly.
STACEY ALLASTER: If I could help Mardy with some specifics. In the next month, Mardy will come to the USTA national campus in Orlando. He will meet with Craig Morris, who leads our Net Generation initiative. Worked with Jim and Kathy, currently still does. Could be some coaching for our providers across the country who are supporting Net Generation, community, clubs, parks and schools.
Because Mardy will spend more time on the road, and as Martin said, when he’s wearing that jacket, is the symbol and represents all of us on Team USA, we’ll want Mardy to meet with kids, whether that’s clinics, activities. We really want to use the Davis Cup to inspire kids to play the game. Either they just come to the game, they play more.
We all know how passionate Mardy is. We know he’ll do a phenomenal job with the guys in the competition. We were equally excited to have Mardy in this role. The guy just loves, loves the game. Now when he’s representing us at our tournaments, we know we’ll put him to work sharing that passion with kids.
Q. Next year is going to be Olympics. Have you had any discussions regarding the Olympics?
MARDY FISH: I haven’t. Should we try to do some negotiations right now on the phone (laughter)?
Q. I don’t mean to diminish the Davis Cup. Your record in the Olympics is so good, medal winner. You have a lot to offer as a potential captain for the U.S. in the Olympics. Are you thinking about it?
STACEY ALLASTER: Today it’s about the Davis Cup. Certainly Mardy does offer us a lot. Together with Martin, Ken, we’ll have those discussions in the coming months as it relates to the Olympics.
BRENDAN McINTYRE: Thanks so much for joining the call. Thank you to Patrick, Stacey and Martin. Congratulations to the 41st captain for the U.S. Davis Cup, Mardy Fish.

Mardy Fish
Mardy Fish

Features, Vero Beach Champions Davis Cup, Mardy Fish, USTA

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