Courier Beats Heat To Help Move Yanks Into Davis Quarters

Withstanding 101-degree heat and jeering fans, a weary Jim Courier beat Brazil’s Gustavo Kuerten in four sets Sunday to send the United States into the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup.

Courier was treated for dehydration after the match in which he dropped the third set and survived a tight tiebreaker in the fourth. He beat Brazil’s top player 6-3, 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (13-11) in 3 hours, 36 minutes.

“It was obviously a difficult and close match,” Courier said. “I was glad to have it go four sets. But if went five, I’m sure I would have outlasted him.”

The result assured the United States a victory in the best-of-5 format, and the Americans will play at home against the Netherlands in the next round.

Behind Courier and MaliVai Washington, the United States won the two singles matches against Brazil on Friday and lost the doubles on Saturday.

In Sunday’s second match, which did not affect the outcome of the series and was reduced to a best-of-3 sets, Alex O’Brien downed Fernando Meligeni 7-5, 7-6 (7-4), giving the United States a 4-1 victory. O’Brien replaced Washington, who has a knee injury.