Davis Cup--day 2

The second day of the USA-Switzerland tie brought more doubles action than some fans may have expected. It took Yves Allegro a while to get his nerves in check, but when he did, he became an excellent defensive player, and a bit later, even tightened up his serve. It is never easy playing the Bryan brothers, no matter who you are, but the Swiss team made the match competitive, and we were treated to four sets, including a tiebreak in the fourth. The brothers won, which means the USA now has a 2-1 lead over Switzerland.

Yesterday, the national anthem was sung by two ballgirls with very sweet voices. They did a straight-forward rendition, which was a breath of fresh air. "The Star-Spangled Banner" is hardly my favorite song, but I can listen to it with a lost more enthusiasm when someone isn't trying to Whitney Houston it to death. No such luck today, though. The anthem was butchered--to wild cheering and applause--by "American Idol" finalist Diana DeGarmo, who also presented a "mini concert" after the match. We didn't stay for that; it was bad enough we had to see Justin Gimelstob a second day.

The pre-match performance today was done by a group of hip hop dancers. Yesterday, we heard from a gospel group. During all the changeovers, a team of young acrobats performs, and these kids are very good. It's especially nice to see boys and girls performing together in an athletic event. There is also a little jazz ensemble that performs in the main hall of the arena.

Yesterday, we walked into the stadium without undergoing any type of security check. Today, I was subjected to a random "check," which meant that I opened my bag. The security officer did not take out anything or unfasten any of the compartments. Some security check.

After the match, we took a stroll through lovely Linn Park, and stopped by for a look at the refurbished historic Tutwiler Hotel, where several Swiss fans had hung a flag and were having a picnic.