Feeling Damp

Lindsay Davenport and the U.S. women's Federation Cup team are feeling a little damp after two days of their tie against Germany in which just two matches have been complete due to persistent rain.

This was to be the new mom's triumphant return to the Fed Cup circuit, but she faltered on Saturday against unheralded German Sabine Lisicki in the tie's opening match before Ashley Harkleroad was able to even things up with a straight set win of her own.

Play is scheduled to resume today, but whether or not Lindsay can resume the form she opened her comeback tour with last fall is unknown. Many times when a player returns, they experience a sort of honeymoon period when the ball looks bigger, the angles look easier and opponents shots feel slower.

But perhaps Davenport has floated out of this period and has come back to earth in a sense. She won three of the first four tournaments she played in since September, but played alarmingly bad in her opening match at the Australian Open against Sara Errani, winning 7-5 in the third.

Following that win, D-mama went on to be crushed by tournament champ Maria Sharapova in the second round, providing little resistance in a match that was built up to be a blockbuster.

So as many of us had guessed last summer when Davenport first announced her comeback, perhaps the American's tennis ship really has sailed. She has a chance today to prove me wrong, when she takes the court for both a singles and doubles rubber.