Mcenroe, Gambill Join Forces Davis Cup Captain Picks Himself To Roster That Includes Rising Star From Spokane

With Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras injured, U.S. Davis Cup captain John McEnroe knew which player to turn to for the team’s semifinal against Spain: himself.

McEnroe’s name was among the four he announced Wednesday for the best-of-5 series at Santander, Spain, July 21-23.

Spokane’s Jan-Michael Gambill, Todd Martin, and Chris Woodruff fill out the U.S. roster. None of them are in the top 25 in the ATP rankings. Gambill, who made it into the quarterfinal round at Wimbledon last week before losing to Sampras, is ranked 30th in the ATP champions race.

The 41-year-old U.S. captain said he’d limit himself to doubles, “no question. You can bet your life savings,” McEnroe said.

Agassi strained his back in a minor car accident last weekend. Sampras has been hobbled by a shin injured while winning Wimbledon.

“We’ve lost two of the best players that ever played. This certainly has not turned out the way I had it planned out in my mind,” McEnroe said, putting his team’s chances of beating Spain at 10 to 20 percent.

Agassi and Sampras are ranked third and fourth in the ATP Champions race.

McEnroe can substitute any of his four players up to 10 minutes before the July 20 draw for the semifinal, which will be played on slow, red clay. And the captain said he will talk to other players, chiefly Paul Goldstein and Vince Spadea (who ended an ATP Tour-record 21-match losing streak by winning in the first round at Wimbledon).

Gambill, a three-time member of the U.S. Davis Cup team, has never played for McEnroe.

“I’m hoping he’ll do some good things,” McEnroe said. “His confidence is high. He’s extremely fit.

“Hopefully, he’ll play doubles. Who knows, maybe some singles.”

McEnroe said his decicion to put himself on the team is a “stopgap solution at the moment.”

Agassi was injured Sunday riding from the airport to his Las Vegas home, the U.S. Tennis Association said. He can’t raise his right arm above his shoulder.

The United States, which last won the championship in 1995, had to rebound from 2-1 deficits in each of the first two rounds this year, against Zimbabwe and the Czech Republic.

Now the Americans face a tougher opponent in Spain, which has three team members - Alex Corretja, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Albert Costa - who reached the quarterfinals at the French Open, the only Grand Slam event played on clay.

“We had our hands full even if we had the best guys. They have three of top 10 in the world on clay,” McEnroe said. “We’re going to be huge underdogs. If we can pull this one out of the hat, it will be a real victory.”