Davis Cup QF: Checkers Over Stars & Stripes in Four

Despite dropping the third set, Marin Cilic never looked out of command in his 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win over James Blake. His movement was much better (no shock on clay), and his ability to hit casual winners at will was something Blake couldn't match despite clearly trying. Seeing Cilic win with ease makes me appreciate more what Mardy Fish did in hanging with the big Croat on Friday.

Not that it means a whole lot, but kudos to Bob Bryan for winning his dead rubber in a third set tiebreak. It doesn't make a lot of sense for him to pursue singles at this stage in his career, but watching him play pretty solid tennis to beat Roko Karanusic makes me wonder what he could have achieved in singles had he kept at it.

I'll have more on what this loss means for the present and future of US Davis Cup tomorrow and who's to blame for this quarterfinal loss. Suffice it to say that there's plenty to go around.