SMITH and RUSSELL
JAMAICA'S DAVIS Cup team is not dead yet.
After dropping the opening Americas Zone Group Two singles rubbers to hosts Puerto Rico at the Centro de Tenis Municipal in Bayamon on Friday and looking all but sure of returning to Group Three, the doubles combination of Ryan Russell and Jermaine Smith rallied magnificently yesterday to keep the island's hopes of staying in Group Two alive.
On Friday, Puerto Rico's No. 1, Gabriel Montilla, accounted for Scott Willinsky, 6-3, 7-6 (6), 6-4, and then his compatriot Luis Haddock pulled off an upset by downing Russell, also in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.
That left Jamaica with the mighty task of winning the final three rubbers to avoid the drop. The first part of that tough assignment was completed yesterday when Russell and Smith cruised past Gilberto Alvarez and Montilla 6-2, 7-6 (1), 6-3 in the doubles to leave the tie now at 2-1 in favour of the hosts.
In today's crucial reverse singles, Montilla and Russell will lock horns in the first match of the day at 2:00 p.m. (Jamaica time).
National captain Douglas Burke has a serious decision to make for the second and possibly decisive rubber - whether to stick with Willinsky who has struggled in Davis Cup singles or go with 'Giant' Smith, a seasoned Cup campaigner who may be lacking singles match practice.
