Tennis | Davis Cup

Patrick McEnroe © Gallo Images

McEnroe resigns as US Davis Cup captain



Patrick McEnroe will step down as captain of the US Davis Cup team after next week's world group playoff tie at Colombia, the US Tennis Association (USTA) announced on Monday.

McEnroe, the longest tenured captain in US Davis Cup history, will guide the Americans in Bogota on September 17-19 before his resignation takes effect, ending a decade in charge of the team that won a record 32nd Cup title in 2007.

"It is with a heavy heart that I am resigning as Davis Cup captain, but it is a decision I felt was best for the team and myself right now," McEnroe said in a statement.

"Davis Cup is a significant time commitment and this decision will allow me to focus more energy on my family and to the USTA Player Development program." McEnroe has a 16-9 record in Cup ties, two shy of Tom Gorman's all-time US win mark, and the Davis Cup crown three years ago snapped a record-long title drought from 1995.

Andy Roddick, James Blake and siblings Bob and Mike Bryan played 10 ties in a row for the US squad under McEnroe's reign, a steady lineup that helped raise the profile of the event in America.

"Patrick changed the culture of Davis Cup in the United States, creating a true team environment and a sense of camaraderie that the U.S. has never before seen," USTA tournaments chief officer Jim Curley said.

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