Davis Cup - Euro Africa Zone I - GBR v Ukraine 6-8 March 2009

Robxon · Lower Club Player

RE: Davis Cup - Euro Africa Zone I - GBR v Ukraine 6-8 March 2009

indiana · Tennis legend

Nio, Lloyd has made it fairly clear that Boggo won't be playing.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

no, I spoke to alex and he definitely isn't in it this time.
i wonder what will happen if he goes on a sensational run between now and then tho?

also i got the impression that missing a challenger (where given past performance he could do well) to do the play off wouldn't have gone down that well with him.

edit: i'm not sure who the 5th will be in the case?

-- Edited by Count Zero at 12:06, 2009-01-25

Smidster · Challenger level

In principle I support something like this but more because I think it will do wonders for the individual players and their future rankings.

We can argue all we like about the players involved etc but it has got to be good for those involved to be playing 5 set matches in a competitive environment.

scottie1 · Futures level

I think Alex is very talented but his temperament has been brittle in Davis Cup and Wimbledon. i think he does not need the pressure of "the fall guy" in Davis Cup. We dont have a lot to choose from now which shows the standrrd of mens tennis in gb has dropped. personally I think Dan Evans and Josh goodall should be in team with Ross in doubles.

Although as a Scot I would like more Scottish players Colin has an ouside chance but I think unfair of John LLoyd to put pressure on Jamie Baker who clearly is struggling on his comeback.

indiana · Tennis legend

Smidster wrote:

In principle I support something like this but more because I think it will do wonders for the individual players and their future rankings.

We can argue all we like about the players involved etc but it has got to be good for those involved to be playing 5 set matches in a competitive environment.

Sorry, but I don't see it doing wonders for a anyone's ranking.

Three 5 set ( maybe ) matches, naa. Hopefully they will indeed be good competitive matches, but I really see no reason to expect anything close to wonders to flow from it.

If anyone starts moving up I really don't see it because of this.

steven · Tennis legend

scottie1 wrote:
I think Alex is very talented but his temperament has been brittle in Davis Cup and Wimbledon. i think he does not need the pressure of "the fall guy" in Davis Cup.

Thinking about it, maybe if Alex had been given his chance in this playoff and won his way through it, he would have felt less pressure in the tie itself, in the same way that players tend to play a bit more freely at Wimby when they have earned their place by qualifying than when they are given WCs.

Indeed, that might be one way in which it does have a good effect on whoever wins.

-- Edited by steven at 15:12, 2009-01-25

British_is_Best · County player

I think the playoffs idea is certainly an interesting concept. Not quite sure that John Lloyd has picked the right players though. I think Boggo could do with a year or two out of the Davis Cup environment and try and really make that big push in his own career so it's good from his perspective that he isn't involved (although chances are he may well have won the playoff if he had been involved, and Lloyd couldn't have risked that!) I also think that Jamie shouldn't be involved, he needs to get that ranking back up again before going back to Davis Cup action. Also a shame that Bloomers and Marray have been passed over, the latter having had a similar rise to Colin Fleming who has been included in this playoff. One good thing is that Lloyd wasn't tempted to include Chris Eaton in the playoffs, I have to say that he hasn't progressed like I hoped he might.

MAC · Junior player

If the Davis Cup captain has a bunch of players he thinks are of much the same standard, he doesn't know them well enough to make a selection, and he wants to test them against each other in this kind of play-off, in principle it's a good idea. It will test who can raise their game over three matches under pressure. And it will mean the two extra singles players will feel they have 'earned it'. I think there has to some extent been some complacency in the past - a bit of an entitlement culture which wasn't professional from some players. Playing Davis Cup is an honour.

The problem for me is the timing, the shabby way it was announced, and the way several players that weren't JL favourites were excluded from the chance to prove their mettle. It's pretty clear most here agree that Bogdanovic was excluded not just because JL says he'd had his chance - debatable - but because he'd have had a good chance of winning these matches. Players have had no warning and no real time to prepare for this. JL's I suggest they put in an extra few hours training in the meantime was really insulting. They may have to change their plans to give up everything for this Davis Cup chance - which is probably what JL wants - someone to show commitment and ambition. Unfortunately JL seems more and more of a divisive rather than a positive force in men's tennis in this country.

Drew · Jan 26, 2009

MAC wrote:

If the Davis Cup captain has a bunch of players he thinks are of much the same standard, he doesn't know them well enough to make a selection, and he wants to test them against each other in this kind of play-off, in principle it's a good idea. It will test who can raise their game over three matches under pressure. And it will mean the two extra singles players will feel they have 'earned it'. I think there has to some extent been some complacency in the past - a bit of an entitlement culture which wasn't professional from some players. Playing Davis Cup is an honour.

The problem for me is the timing, the shabby way it was announced, and the way several players that weren't JL favourites were excluded from the chance to prove their mettle. It's pretty clear most here agree that Bogdanovic was excluded not just because JL says he'd had his chance - debatable - but because he'd have had a good chance of winning these matches. Players have had no warning and no real time to prepare for this. JL's I suggest they put in an extra few hours training in the meantime was really insulting. They may have to change their plans to give up everything for this Davis Cup chance - which is probably what JL wants - someone to show commitment and ambition. Unfortunately JL seems more and more of a divisive rather than a positive force in men's tennis in this country.

Hi Mac....thats a very balanced view point.

Some folk have said the playoff gesture is just a pre-arranged get-out for JL when/if it doesnt work. Perhaps it is....and Im sure there has been some complacency in the past so a play-off might help to gauge the 'will' of the players. Maybe ?

Still this is such an adhoc thing to bolt on to the season with no warning. Does it show a lack of forethought or being flexible to do something different / new ?

He must be so unsure as to who should be playing along with Andy....he seems to have waited to see how the guys played in AO qualies then thought 'nah none of those thanks...'. Im sure thats when this playoff plan was hatched.

So we can blame all those who bombed out of the AO qualies for this LOL !

JL seems more and more of a divisive rather than a positive force in men's tennis in this country.

Specifically the DC. This has not helped. To openly criticise players and put them to one side is poor man management.

What he could have done which would have been palletable perhaps is select the GB top 6 (excluding Boggo) and two 'wildcards' Ie 2 players outwith the top 6 but on the way up / or a quality player on the way back frm injury.

Boggo has me as a fan. But a good case can be made for wanting to do something new. No Boggo for Glasgow but depending on form he could play again.

So this is poorly thought out, badly put together and a get-out all rolled into one. Nice one !

This will take place at Roehampton I believe. Not even in Glasgow on the surface that will be used no doubt.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

If you are taking 6, may as well try out 8 and include Bloomers and Eaton. Eaton can raise his game, we have seen that in some of his ATPQ attempts. Bloomers may have had an off start to the year, but he finished 08 pretty strong didn't he? i am sure he will find his way again, also as MJD informs us he was struggling with a cold, which will have an effect on singles performance more so than doubles (much more running in singles).

i agree i am sure this idea came to being in the wake of the 3 contenders crashing out in the AOQ 1st rd, and with only Slabba getting a MD win at NC before losing to Boggo (bad move by slabba there - best to have lost to someone else in respect of DC selection). i remember in OEM's article at the time he said none of those 3(4) at the AOQ would be in contention for the DC, but i am not sure if he was saying that or quoting JL.

Also apparently its not necessarily the winners who will get picked. i think we all agree that from our perspective it will be interesting to see how these matches pan out. and i think having best of 5 sets is a good idea as the guys hardly ever get to go that distance, however JL comments that the players should put in some extra training surely are a bit, yes like Mac said insulting.

Vandenburg · Futures level

with all the rubbish tv in the nation, im suprised we are not voting for the player on some itv saturday night programme
heres a few suggestions-

How to solve a problem like the davis cup
davis cup factor
strickly come davis cup
Britains got davis cup talent

Count Zero · Tennis legend

i think the final option would be a bit of a misdescription

Montana Doug · Futures qualifying

I'd take Greg for doubles if he is in shape.....he knows the lingo too!

Vandenburg · Futures level

Montana Doug wrote:

I'd take Greg for doubles if he is in shape.....he knows the lingo too!

im pretty sure he doesnt actually, he speaks fluent german french and english,i no this beacuse his press conferances interviews etc were often shown in french or german in norway as apposed to english.