With February being Black History Month, it’s extra appropriate to give a shout out to MaliVai Washington for his heroic effort on behalf of his country’s national tennis team 15 years ago today, February 7, 1997. The following is the excerpt from my book ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY ($19.95, New Chapter Press,www.TennisHistoryBook.com)
***
Feb. 7, 1997 – MaliVai Washington performs one of the most courageous Davis Cup performances in the history of the U.S. team, suffering through what would be a career-ending knee injury in the tail end of his heroic win over future world No. 1 and future three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-3 to give the United States an early 1-0 lead in the Davis Cup first round in Riberio Preto, Brazil. Washington shears off a piece of the cartilage in the fourth set – an injury that years – and surgeries – later prevents him from successfully continuing his career. Years later, Washington says of his victory, “Beating Gustavo in the opening match was one of my top three or four career highlights. A combination of the occasion, being in Brazil in front of a pretty hostile crowd, and playing the opening match, was very special. Finishing the match with a knee injury made it more painful but more satisfying. Ironically, that was a career highlight but it was also the beginning of the end of my career.”
Following Washington’s effort – which combined with Jim Courier’s win over Fernando Meligeni gave the USA a 2-0 lead over Brazil – Alex O’Brien and Richey Reneberg were defeated by Kuerten and Jaime Oncins 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 which cut the U.S. lead over Brazil to 2-1. Then, Courier, on the third day of play, knowing that Washington would not able to play a fifth rubber, overcame a vocal Brazilian crowd, dehydration and 110 degree on-court temperatures and defeated Kuerten 6-3, 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (13-11) to clinch the 4-1 United States victory. Said the No. 22 ranked Courier following the three-hour-and-36-minunte match, “It was obviously a difficult and close match. I was glad to have it go four sets. But if it went five, I’m sure I would have outlasted him.” Kuerten was ranked No. 85 at the time and was a relative unknown outside of South America. He went on to win the French Open out of nowhere as an unseeded player four months later.
Courier, now the U.S. Davis Cup captain, guides the USA against Switzerland and Roger Federer this weekend in Switzerland.