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JOE FAVORITO: Thanks, everyone for joining us today. We have some special news to announce the team which will join Patrick McEnroe for his debut as Davis Cup captain in Switzerland next week. Actually, as everyone knows, tennis has gotten off to a great start from an American perspective with the results at the Australian Open last week and we are hoping that the Davis Cup results are going to follow right along.

I wanted everyone to know that there will be a transcript of this call available following the conference call. You can contact either myself at 914.697.2327 or Randy Walker at 914-696.7289. Also if anybody would like to speak to any of the players we have been in contact with most of them and we can make an attempt to hook you guys up with them this afternoon if you'd like some extra comments.

Without any further delay, I am going to turn it over to Arlen Kantarian, the Chief Executive of Professional Tennis, then we will get right to it.

ARLEN KANTARIAN: Thanks, Joe, and good afternoon, everyone. I will be brief. As I am sure you all know this past December we selected a new Davis Cup captain naming Patrick McEnroe to the position. Part of the reason we selected Patrick in addition to obviously his vast experience was his new philosophy and ours in fielding a Davis Cup team.

As you hear from Patrick today I think you will see this new philosophy come to bright. This is going to be a team that will reflect a combination of both experience and youth; a group that's committed to a team concept and we feel one that is enthusiastic and committed long-term to the success of Davis Cup.

So without any further hesitation, it is a pleasure to now turn it over to our new Davis Cup Captain, Patrick McEnroe.

PATRICK McENROE: Thank you, Arlen. I will be real quick; then obviously let everyone ask as many questions as they would like.

After obviously a lot of deliberation and speaking with many of the players, all the players, especially in Australia where I just was for 2 1/2 weeks, as Arlen said I have decided to go with a mix of veterans and some young players for our first tie in Switzerland. Todd Martin will be leading our team of course through his great Davis Cup record and his great run in Australia where he beat Sampras along the way.

So it will be Todd, joined by Jan-Michael Gambill who is over playing in Milan right now; won his first round yesterday. Justin Gimelstob from New Jersey will be on the team and so will Andy Roddick, our young rising star, who is 18 and who just won his third Challenger last week in Hawaii. So those are the four guys that will make up our team. We will probably have a couple of players added to the squad in the next few days to round out sort of the team of six but these are the four that will be making up the main team that we will field for our first round tie with Switzerland.

JOE FAVORITO: We'd like to open it up for questions now.

Q. I'd like to know if you thought the success of Capriati and Agassi had a success on the Australian Open ratings and what ^1you do ^ do you think it means to tennis in this country?

PATRICK McENROE: Obviously they had a big effect on the ratings which I have just heard have been fantastic for both the men's and women's. Certainly both stories are compelling and for Capriati to come all the way back and play the type of tennis she did was exciting for all of us; especially for Americans. And certainly the performance of Agassi was just unbelievable. I wish he could take some of that with him to Switzerland, but unfortunately that is not going to happen.

But it was great to see Andre playing that type of focused tennis and sort of, you know, doing much to implant his place in history. And I know know he has got a couple of great years left in him.

Q. Did you seriously talk to John about playing doubles and how close did you come to naming him to the team?

PATRICK McENROE: Yes, I did. I talked very seriously to him about it, and he was really understanding of all sides of the picture and obviously him being captain knows what goes into it and knows the stress, the complications that go into choosing a team. And I think he is real excited about the direction that I am taking.

I think he understands that we need to look to the future and certainly to have John there would be invaluable with his experience, but I think that having guys that, you know, are younger and that were more towards winning this match, of course, but also winning down the road. I think he realizes that that is the best way to go.

He was very supportive of my decision. We talked a few times about it and he was ready, but he also understood that this was probably in the best interest of everyone to go this direction.

Q. Was John asked to play and did he turn it down saying that you are better off going that way?

PATRICK McENROE: No. It was really a case of two brothers talking and talking at length and going over it with -- it was almost like he became sort of - I wouldn't say an assistant - but someone that really helped me go through the process and it was very helpful to me. It wasn't a case of me offering him a spot on the team. It was really just a case of us understanding both of our situations and the situation of the team and Davis Cup. And I don't need to tell you all his interest and his passion for Davis Cup. He understands obviously from every angle what goes into it. I think we both decided after discussing it at length, going over the various possibilities, that this was the best way to go.

Q. Did you speak to Pete and Andre, what was the result of that?

PATRICK McENROE: Well, I spoke -- of course I spoke to both of them.

Andre made it very clear to me and just before the Australian that he was not interested for the first match and has some concerns, as Pete does as well, about the format, et cetera. And I keep in touch with them.

I spoke to Pete since he has been back from the Australian Open after his disappointing loss there to Todd. And, look, I mean, I hope at some point down the road that they will want to be part of the team. But some things are a little bit out of my control.

What I want and what I have with this team are guys that are committed to playing Davis Cup. Not one of them hesitated when I asked them if they were interested in playing. Not one of them asked if they were going to play for sure or not. They all just want to be part of the team. I think that that is very important not only for the team morale and the spirit of the team, but also for the future because we have -- as we all know, it is a transition time that is approaching and certainly having Todd as our leader and playing so great, it is great to have him as the leader of the team. But we need to start looking forward to the future and we need to start doing it now.

My feeling is that the future is now. And why not get these guys in the mix. We have got two guys that are in their early 20s in Justin and Jan-Michael that are proven players out there that are looking to take even the next step in both their careers and this is the chance for them to really play in the spotlight of Davis Cup. And Roddick, it is obvious what he brings to the table. He is an unbelievable talent and unbelievably passionate about playing for Davis Cup. I hope in ten years after he has won five or six Majors that he still feels the same way.

Q. Can you tell us from the four players how your lineup is going to be; who is going to play singles and doubles?

PATRICK McENROE: I think, as it stands now, it will probably be Martin and Gambill in the singles, although having Roddick, you know, both Justin there are potential guys that can fill in and play singles. That was something that was important to me when I thought about making up the team, I wanted to have obviously a couple of doubles combinations that I can go to. I don't know exactly what the doubles team will be. Some of that will be dependent on how we do on the first day and who plays the first day. But having both Roddick and Justin, both guys that can play singles. I like that because of -- we all know the rules and the fact that you can substitute on the last day - we thought the Spaniards used that very successful last year.

So I want to have that option. That is part of the reason why I went with four guys that can potentially play singles. But I think it is pretty clear to me that most likely it will be Todd and Jan-Michael playing singles in the first day.

Q. What would happen on the first day to decide how the doubles would be made up? In other words, where would Todd be involved if it is 1-1?

PATRICK McENROE: Well, Al, a lot of it depends on the matches, the court, how, you know, if Todd plays a long five-setter; if it's an easy straight-setter, either way, there is variables. It also depends somewhat on how we do in practice.

We are going to get there early. We are going to try some combinations out and the fact that we don't have sort of a go-to doubles team out there playing on the main Tour is part of the reason that we are going there early and trying to put a couple of combinations together and see what works.

Q. What kind of court?

PATRICK McENROE: Indoor Opticourt. So we have to see what how the speed is and we won't know until we hit on it on Monday.

Q. Al asked just about most of what I wanted to know, except for one thing -- it is a hard court, by the way?

PATRICK McENROE: Yes.

Q. At least it is listed that way. Andy Roddick, did you think about maybe even going with two young guys?

PATRICK McENROE: Well, I thought about going with -- there may be a couple of other guys added to the team, by the way, that will most likely be young guys. I certainly think we have some young guys in there and I don't consider 23, 24 particularly old.

But Roddick to me is a guy that so far has stepped up as the guy who has had the best result. I mean, he has won three Challengers just since I believe the US Open, or even since November. And I think that he has shown, at least so far, the most potential.

Certainly there is other guys like Mardy Fish and Taylor Dent and Rob Kendrick and Robby Ginepri who have had some good results. I can assure you that I am on top of watching all of their progress in hopes of getting them in the mix at some point down the road. Roddick to me was a no-brainer. To me that he has shown that he can play at this level and he has made unbelievable strides as far as how quickly he has made progress. And the other thing was when I told them I was considering putting him on the team and I wanted him to start thinking about his plan to go to Switzerland, the guy blows everyone away in Hawaii at the tournament so I thought that was a pretty good sign. I like the way he responded to me telling him that I really was considering him for the team.

Q. The other thing that you mention -- you mentioned going back in my notes here you said "I hope sometime down the road they will want to be a part of the team" speaking about Andre and Pete. So that door is still open for them?

PATRICK McENROE: Oh, of course. Look, they are two great a player's that have done too much for the sport of tennis to say that the door is not open them to reconsider playing. I would be a fool not leave the door open. These guys are two of the greats of all time. I understand their situation and where they are coming from, and that they are sort of at the latter stage of their career and want to get the most out of their Grand Slam potential.

But I also understand that they can change their mind and they can see what I am trying to do and what the players are trying to do and at some point down the road, I am going -- if they are interested again I am certainly not going to say, hey, no, I am not interested. These are great players. They have played great Davis Cup before and they have led us to victory a few times before.

Also to have them around, with some of the younger guys, it would be incredible. I think having Todd in that position now is going to be great for someone like Andy Roddick and maybe one or two of the other players that I could add to the squad between now and the time we leave. So certainly that door is always going to be open for me to consider.

Just, Bob, as I have told all the guys and as I will tell them in Switzerland, we are not going to win the Davis Cup without help from a lot of different people. There is no one or two guys that are going to win us the Davis Cup by themselves. And if we win -- if we are lucky enough to win our first round, and playing in the second round, we might not have the exact same team. Someone might be injured or someone might not want to play or someone, you know, I might decide that someone's game does not suit the surface that we are playing on next. So I really, from the first time I took this position I said this needs to be a group effort from all the players, from all their coaches, from people coaches with the USTA, et cetera, and I am going to continue to do that down the road.

Q. This is Jerry Recco from WFAN Radio New York. Hello, Patrick?

PATRICK McENROE: Jerry, What's happening?

Q. Yeah, hello. How are you?

PATRICK McENROE: I am doing well.

Q. We miss you around here.

PATRICK McENROE: I miss you over there too.

Q.Listen, let me ask you this question. You are going to play in Switzerland, right?

PATRICK McENROE: Yeah, exactly, Jerry.

Q. What part of South America is exactly Switzerland in?

PATRICK McENROE: (LAUGHS) Listen, Bernie, I will be seeing you later, okay?

Q. Excuse -me?

PATRICK McENROE: Yeah, excuse -me.

Q. Hey, what's up Patty Mac?

PATRICK McENROE: What's happening, Bernard?

Q. How are you doing, my man?

PATRICK McENROE: You had me for about a half a second.

Q. I don't know, I tried. Listen, you can get back here quick.

PATRICK McENROE: Okay, my friend.

Q. We miss you my brother from another mother and there ain't no other. All right?

PATRICK McENROE: All right, my friend.

Q. Stay right, my bro.

PATRICK McENROE: Excuse that little...

Q. It is hard to follow that one.

PATRICK McENROE: That is a tough one.

Q. As you mentioned Andre and Pete obviously are concerned about the format and was one of the reasons not to play and your brother made that a big issue during his rein. I am curious your perspective on the format and how realistic do you think it is that it might be changed any time in the near future. Obviously your brother's departure sort of indicates that he thought it probably would not be changed for a while?

PATRICK McENROE: I sort of agree with those guys about, I think there is a necessity to look hard at trying to change the format. I believe that Davis Cup is a tremendous regional event right now, as it is. I believe it has the potential to be an outstanding global event, a huge event, more than just a tennis event if it is played, you know, over a shorter timeframe and sort of have its own little season. My job -- obviously that is something that interests me, but there is a lot more people that have the power and the ability to try to pull that off.

I love Davis Cup. I love the excitement of being the captain and putting together a team. So I am going to do -- I am going to do that irrespective of what happens with the format. I am a realist to understand that there is only so much that I can do as the captain. My job "A No. 1" is to field the best team that we have possible and to -- and to win the Davis Cup. I am excited about that.

I understand that there are problems with the format and I think that they are going to be addressed and looked at. Whether or not it changes or not, I'd be lying if I said I knew it would change or not. I don't know. But what I do know is that I am now the captain. I am excited about going to Switzerland. I know the team that I have is excited about going, and to me, that is "A No. 1," obviously for the game of tennis, for the sport of tennis, I would like to see Davis Cup get bigger and better. But I still think it is a pretty damn good event.

Q. I just wanted to ask you for this tie, particular you have ruled your brother out. But if the US is successful and continues to go through the rounds, would you consider him along the road as part of the team or you have ruled him out for the entire?

PATRICK McENROE: You just want to know if he might be coming to France if we happen to win this first match?

Q. Yeah.

PATRICK McENROE: No, I haven't ruled anybody out. As I have said before on this call and as I have tried to express to all the players, this is going to be a team effort from start to finish. And that means that as I said, there are variables that come up in each match; there is the surface; the timing of the event; there is the other players from the other team, and we in America are blessed with having a lot of players that could potentially play. I'd be crazy to say this is my team for the rest of the year. I think the guys understand that. I have certainly understand that things change. And if Todd Martin decides for whatever reason he doesn't want to play down the road, which I don't think he would do, but I need to have other options. A:So the short answer to your question is no, I haven't ruled John out in the future at all, no.

Q. Can you tell me a little bit about the Switzerland team and how do you like your chances against them?

PATRICK McENROE: Well, they have got an excellent team obviously Federer is one of the fastest rising young guys on the Tour. He is already in the top 30. George Bastl is a very solid player as is Kratchovil. I watched them both play in Australia and Kratchovil got to the third round and lost to Rafter. Manta is an excellent doubles player and has an excellent record in Davis Cup.

The Swiss are very tough, especially at home. They were very close to beating Australia last year. Federer is obviously their top player and I imagine that he will play singles and doubles. So it is going to be difficult.

It is funny because you look at the draw and I tell everyone they say, who do you play first round. I say, we play the Swiss. They say, geez, that is a tough first round. Then I look at it all, there is no easy matches now. That is one of the great things about Davis Cup and about the sport of tennis right now, is that there are players from so many different countries now and more than just one player, in fact, that are top players. I think you see that in the strength of the 16 teams in the Davis Cup. There are very few matches that you'd say hey, that is a given one way or the other. There is just too many great players out there now.

So each match is difficult and this match is certainly difficult, but I love our team. I love the experience that we have. I love the youth that we have. I think it's going to be a great team morale within the team. And I think that we are going to go over there and we are going to go out there with everything blazing and go for it.

Q. You got a few players who have little Davis Cup experience. How do you try to bring them along for this first tie?

PATRICK McENROE: Well, you know what, there is really nothing like getting in there and doing it. A lot of it is how you respond to the pressure of the moment.

I was lucky enough to play Davis Cup four times in my career in doubles. There is nothing like just getting out there and doing it. You can say you are prepared. You just got keep it simple. There is a different sort of pressure when you take the court in Davis Cup, there is no question. Three out of our four guys have played matches before, obviously Martin and Gambill more than the other two. I will look to those guys to sort of lead the other players and everyone pull for each other.

This has to be about every guy on the team pulling for every other guy. When you have that, good things happen.

Q. I wanted to know what this means to you personally leading the US team, basically being the captain of the US National Team?

PATRICK McENROE: I am obviously -- I can barely sleep at night. Being the captain and then having jet lag from Australia, I am totally wired. Look, I am obviously honored to be the captain and it has already been a great experience for me to deal with all the players and to watch them play and watch them practice and talk to them and try to be the leader of this movement. But I am aware that this -- I am not the guy out there playing. It is these guys that are out there who are going to win it for our team. And I want them to be excited about it. I want to help them in whatever way I can to play their best, to enjoy the experience. I know I am going to enjoy it and I want them to enjoy it because I think it -- if the players enjoy being part of the team and the whole experience that good things will happen. I think that -- to me, that is very important to the success that we, as a country have, in Davis Cup.

I have tried to bring that so far and I will try to bring that to Switzerland and down the road.

Q. How much of and on-court instruction do you get to do as a Davis Cup captain or do you plan to do, like what percentage of your time with them will be just tennis related?

PATRICK McENROE: It varies. Certainly I feel like I understand the game very well and I certainly have watched a lot of tennis and played a lot of tennis and watched quite a lot in the last few years as a commentator and one of the things I feel like I do very well is, you know, strategic thinking about how to play a particular match.

I am not going to change anybody's game that they bring. They have their game and they have their own coach. And I want their coach to be there to work with them during the week, but when it comes to the match, I will -- look, if a guy says to me, shetup, I will shetup. But I don't expect that is going to happen. I expect that they are going to look to me for a little bit of guidance to push them in the right direction, whatever it takes.

I am going to learn on-the-job as well. This is going to be my first time, but one of the things I have always gotten a kick out of is trying to evaluate what I think a player does well and what another player doesn't do that well and try to get the most of out of someone that I am working with. And to me, that is a very important part of this job. So I will certainly try to do that.

Q. I am just wondering since you were confirmed in the job last month, whether you have become more interested in leadership in other sports and how the various people go about that?

PATRICK McENROE: Well, that is a good question. I have actually always been very interested in that, maybe something to do with why I was so interested in being the captain when the job became available.

I have always tried to watch coaches and leaders from other sports and learn from them. And obviously try to use that from what my personality is and what I see my style to be. Honestly I am learning as I go. But I certainly look to a lot of people. I have always had a huge interest in sports.

Q. Which ones in particular?

PATRICK McENROE: Well all the -- all the big American sports. Baseball is -- obviously being a manager in baseball obviously takes a lot of strategic thinking, a lot of picking the right person at the right time. Probably more complicated than certainly than being a tennis coach, but I like to look at -- I don't really have any names in particular that I can throw at you, but the American sports and just in my work as a commentator and my work doing all sports and not just tennis, I always find that interesting, you know, reading what the coaches say and seeing how they deal with the media and deal with their players in particular has always been something that I have always tried to take notice of.

Q. I guess one good example of that has been the way Brian Billick has transformed himself this season in Fruit Bowl?

PATRICK McENROE: Yeah, that was a pretty good effort there. Except I am from New York so I am not that pleased.

Q. No, I realize that you are not too big on that.

PATRICK McENROE: Get we get off that topic?

Q. Yes, happily. (Laughter)?

PATRICK McENROE: Thank you.

Q. Thanks, Patrick.

PATRICK McENROE: Thank you, Scott.

Q. The singles you said would be Gambill and Martin and they are the most experienced players.

PATRICK McENROE: That is not set in stone. I said that is what I think it is going to be.

Q. Then who would you think it is going to be doubles since my interest is in my local guy, since Justin has been doing well in doubles as you remember at the Australian obviously --?

PATRICK McENROE: I remember it well, Al.

Q. Would you tell me where he fits into the mix at the moment if you had to think about a doubles team?

PATRICK McENROE: Well he certainly, you know, mixes into that, in my thinking pretty heavily. Justin has had a lot of success with various partners and certainly the main reason that I picked him to be on the team was because of his play in doubles. So I mean, I don't know if that is as clear as it can be, but whether that is with Justin -- I mean, with Andy, with Jan-Michael, with Todd, I think that -- one of the reasons I picked Justin is that I feel that he has the ability to mix with a couple of different players. I feel like he is an excellent doubles player. Obviously we have a lot of great doubles player in the US, O'Brien, Palmer.

Q. Pete?

PATRICK McENROE: Pete Sampras?

Q.Yeah.

PATRICK McENROE: (Laughs) He is pretty good too.

But I feel like Justin has the ability to mix with a couple of different players. That is why one of the reasons why I picked him because I think he has that. So certainly he is factoring into my head in a big way as far as playing doubles.

Q. Also for his cheering?

PATRICK McENROE: That doesn't hurt. I like his energy and his enthusiasm is important as long as it is channeled in the right direction. I believe that is -- that is important. I think that matters in Davis Cup. I think you need guys that are feisty and are energetic and certainly Justin brings that to the table, we all know that.

Q. We know you spoke to John, you spoke to Pete, and to Andre. Were there any other players that you spoke to and asked that did not wish to play this time?

PATRICK McENROE: No. I don't want you to write that John, I asked him to play either.

Q. No, but you spoke to him.

PATRICK McENROE: Yeah, I spoke a lot of players.

Q. Where did Chris Woodruff come off in this thing?

PATRICK McENROE: Chris Woodruff was seriously considered and he obviously had an excellent run in Australia and won a big match for us in Davis Cup before. He was certainly considered. At the end of the day I made the decision to go with the team, to go with the guys -- that the veteran in Todd and a couple of younger guys.

Certainly I spoke to Chris and we had discussions about the possibility of him playing. But at the end of the day I feel that this is the best team and the best call to go for. Obviously -- it is not easy. It is difficult, you have a lot of players that are very close. Certainly Chris, I think is playing well enough to win some matches for us. But I just -- I felt that this was the right way to go for this team. Putting Roddick on the team, I feel is important and I think he legitimately can play and he could -- he is not someone that is a fourth member of the team that has no chance of playing. He could play. He is ready to go. He is ready for whatever his role may be on the team for this particular tie, and as I said, this is about now, but it is also about the future.

Q. You mentioned earlier about not having a go-to doubles team. I was wondering if all things being equal if you prefer the flexibility of having three or four accomplished singles players as opposed to having two guys that have sort of been together for a while?

PATRICK McENROE: I do prefer that and that is one of the reasons why I went with the team that I went with. Unless -- I believe unless you have a team that is so good in doubles, as we were very lucky to have in America with Flach-Seguso, McEnroe-Fleming, Leach-Pugh for a number of years, you know, unless you have a team that is so good that it is an obvious choice, I feel that you are better off and especially with the rules being as they are now that you can substitute the singles players. I feel that you are better off having guys that can also play singles.

Certainly another guy who I considered is Scott Humphries who has had a great result with Justin and they just got to the semis of the Australian, with Gambill, that was a hard decision because he's really played well and he is an excellent doubles player. But I feel that it was -- unless you have a team that is so clear-cut as a team, that, you know, you would then -- I would prefer to go with guys that particularly have three, even four singles potential players based on, you know, the variables that can come up, based on the court, based on injury possibilities; based on the surface of the court, all those things. So I do feel that it is important to have a couple of more options right now.

JOE FAVORITO: Thank you very much, everyone, for joining us. Once again we will have a transcript of this call available in a couple of hours. If anyone would like to speak with any of the players, once again we will make a valiant effort to try to reach them. You can either call Randy Walker at 914-696-7289 or myself at 914 -697-2327. Thanks again everyone for joining us. Patrick, it was certainly an entertaining conference call.

PATRICK McENROE: Thank you, Joe.

JOE FAVORITO: We look forward to following and seeing what happens next week in Switzerland.

PATRICK McENROE: Thank you, everybody