Richard Dunn
NEWPORT BEACH - About a decade ago, John McEnroe provided the
career highlight for Scott Davis, losing to him at the Association of
Tennis Professionals Championship in Cincinnati.
But there would be no such celebration Thursday night for Davis,
making his debut on the Success Magazine Champions Tour at Newport Beach
Tennis Club before 1,793 fans.
As expected, McEnroe defeated the sentimental local favorite Davis,
who works at the club as director of tennis. After splitting sets,
McEnroe won the tie-breaker, 10-5, to cap the 119-minute match.
"I anticipated an awkward match," said McEnroe, who won the first set,
7-5, then dropped the second, 4-6, while providing the crowd with his
usual on-court antics, such as racket slamming and jawing with umpires,
fans and even Davis.
"I haven't practiced a lot on hardcourts, but I have no excuses,"
McEnroe added, "I just didn't play well. (Davis) plays with a very
awkward style. It's not a style you see a lot of on the senior tour. I
haven't played in two months (since winning at Naples, Fla.) and I just
wasn't on my game."To force a tie-breaker, Davis held serve after nine
deuces, finally finishing off McEnroe at the seventh set point.
"I did beat (McEnroe) the last time we played, but maybe I was lucky,"
Davis said. "He drilled me before that, so maybe this is back to normal."
Davis, who said beating McEnroe at the ATP Tour Championships was
"probably the best win" of his career, made his Champions Tour debut
Thursday night, and, at times, seemed to frustrate McEnroe.
"I should've made him work harder," said McEnroe, who scored several
winners on his return of Davis' serve. "I should've won five games that I
lost. (Davis) has an awkward style. It's different than most. We played a
number of times (in the past on the ATP Tour) and I did lose to him once.
But he's an awkward person to play."
McEnroe went up in the tie-breaker, 4-0, and never looked back. After
Davis pulled to within 5-4, McEnroe scored on a service winner, a hitting
error by Davis and a cross-court backhand winner for an 8-4 lead.
While Davis was the local boy, McEnroe, whose marquee tag carries the
worldwide men's senior tennis circuit, had plenty of fans on his side.
McEnroe has reached the finals on the Champions Tour in 10 of his last
11 events and is the only player ever to receive the tour's Player of the
Year honor.
