Davis Cup 2013 - World Group Playoff - Croatia v GB - 13-15 September

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

RE: Davis Cup 2013 - World Group Playoff - Croatia v GB - 13-15 September

korriban · Challenger level

Who will Leon pick?

I'm never sure how it works. If you pick a specialist doubles pair (eg Bryan/Bryan for the US), leaving 2 singles players - and one of the singles players either

a) is injured; or

b) plays like a donkey on the opening day.....are you allowed to have a back up player? I presume yes for a) no for b)

If this is the case, I presume you just pick Andy, Dan, Colin & Jonny with James as back-up......

steven · Tennis legend

For a) - yes if they are injured before the draw (i.e. 24 hours before the tie), no otherwise. In fact, the captain can make 2 substitutions before the draw for any reason.

Funny, by the way, that Dan said only a brave captain wouldn't pick him, given how brave Leon was to switch him in for the Russia tie! wink

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

So if a player plays the opening singles on the Friday and gets injured, he can't be replaced for the reverse rubber on the Sunday ?

Or is it a case that he can be replaced but only by one of the other named players. e.g Colin Fleming would have to play the singles on the Sunday.

steven · Tennis legend

He can be replaced but only by one of the other three named players.

I've always thought that was a bit stupid and that there ought to be the option to pick a team of 5, i.e. 2 singles players, a specialist doubles pair and a back-up singles player.

Spectator · All-time great

The kind of quote that you make when you are young, and newly on top of the world ... and hope doesn't come back to haunt you. And yes, one suspects unintentionally ironic. I haven't seen enough of each of their play, but I would actually have thought that the choice was not entirely cut and dried. Mr Ward has good results in DC and some good results on clay. Then again, it would probably be good to give Mr Evans the opportunity to keep the momentum going.

Too bad Mr Dodig is quite so good at doubles; we really do need a good doubles pairing (and I don't think can ask Mr Murray to play three matches).

steven · Tennis legend

The real problem with Evo saying that is that if Leon now picks James, the pressure on James is likely to be unbearable, with the media clamouring for Dan to be picked and just waiting to lay into James if he fails.

Don't get me wrong, I think Evo's run at the USO does give him quite a strong claim on the 2nd singles place despite the surface issue, but how quickly people (by which I mean the media and the more 'bandwagonny' fans) forget that James has a much better record on clay, is the only Brit to have won a Challenger title this summer, and was the Brit who got the toughest win of the lot (i.e. Tursunov) in the last tie.

DWH · Club Coach

steven wrote:
The real problem with Evo saying that is that if Leon now picks James, the pressure on James is likely to be unbearable, with the media clamouring for Dan to be picked and just waiting to lay into James if he fails.

I think you might be right there. It was a cheeky quote. Haha it made me laugh.

Probably worth mentioning too that he also said;

I havent played a lot on clay, Evans said. Dodig will be No 1 and if I play I will be No 2. By the time I get home and start hitting again I will have had 10 days on the clay. I think I can beat Dodig. If Im struggling on the clay and James is playing better then I will be happy to be a cheerleader.

Per this article http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/us-open-dan-evans-new-beginning-earns-the-respect-of-his-peers-8793737.html

Spectator · All-time great

Thanks, DWH, for signposting the "Independent" quote.

steven · Tennis legend

DWH wrote:

Probably worth mentioning too that he also said;
I havent played a lot on clay, Evans said. Dodig will be No 1 and if I play I will be No 2. By the time I get home and start hitting again I will have had 10 days on the clay. I think I can beat Dodig. If Im struggling on the clay and James is playing better then I will be happy to be a cheerleader.
Per this article http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/us-open-dan-evans-new-beginning-earns-the-respect-of-his-peers-8793737.html

Thanks, I hadn't seen that. That is exactly how I think Leon should play it, so well done to Dan for saying that. (of course, a sensible statement like that won't get remembered, but that's not his fault)

philwrig · Hall of fame

Do I dare say clear favourites !

indiana · Tennis legend

You know what Leon is likely to do ? I think I do..

Pick the players that he thinks are most likely to win the tie.

To heck with any player's expectations or perceived right, to heck with what the general and social media are saying, to heck with any flak he may personally receive, for him it will be about the win.

Only if he perceived some outside presure was so great that it could too handicap a player would he likely move from his preferred strategy. But essentially that still comes down to he being just about the win.

I admire the man, I admired him last time sticking Evo in late in place of Jamie, because his gut feeling was that was the best option.

Actually, I imagine it may actually make captaincy easier if your one criterion in your mind is who is most liklely to win. Whether it's "brave" I don't know. What I do think is that it's the right way to do the job.

Ward or Evans might be a tough call, and many may disagree with Leon's choice. But however it works out at least I feel it will be what he thinks is the right choice for the WIN !

steven · Tennis legend

Yes, I hope he does that again, whether it works out or not.

Whoever he names today, I do think he'll see how Evo shapes up on clay and then make the final choice accordingly - I also think that would be the right thing to do. I also wouldn't be a bit surprised if Leon had explained that to Dan by the time he gave the Independent interview.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Andy, Dan, James and Colin are the team.

Setting up for either (i) Andy to pull out and draft in Jonny or (ii) hope to have the tie secured so Andy doesn't have to play a second singles match on Sunday.

steven · Tennis legend

It's pretty obvious Leon is going to pick 4 from 5 and has included Dan and James in the initial line-up so that the press can't go on about one being picked over another for the next week. My guess is he'll draft Jonny in for whoever doesn't get the 2nd singles nod or if something stops Andy from playing.

However, there are arguments for keeping two possible no. 2 singles players in to give him options for the potentially crucial 5th rubber while hoping to get it done in 2 days if everything goes right.