Davis Cup - Euro Africa Zone Group II relegation play-off - GBR v Turkey, 9-11 July 2010

TimProper · Junior player

RE: Davis Cup - Euro Africa Zone Group II relegation play-off - GBR v Turkey, 9-11 July 2010

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Thanks for posting Tim. It is being discussed (well, there are a couple of posts!) in the "The next DC Captain thread".

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Buried in the story where Lloyd resigns it does confirm that the tie will be held at Eastbourne.

indiana · Tennis legend

I think my point about confusing ourselves about who's best to play in the tie if it's on grass is made to the extent that all sorts of names now being mentioned.

Whereas if you played Boggo and Ward v Turkey ( with no decent second player ), job done !

Turks might discover they like grass

OK, unlikely, and we should win anyway, but just saying....

steven · Tennis legend

I think you've got a good point. Against a team that needs a miracle to beat us, playing on the most neutral surface with the best players available sounds like a very good idea. Plus, if we are going to win this, we want players who would be liable to be picked for the ties after that to play and get the confidence that comes from winning live rubbers instead of getting distracted with players whom it would (might) only make sense to bring in for a tie played on grass.

LadyTigress · County player

Ooooh, Eastbourne. That sounds doable for me. Road trip, anyone?

Josh · Challenger level

I don't see the need to have a 'set' team that has to be kept for all future ties. Clearly at a different level to us Spain seem to have a different set of single players for every tie and are always pretty succesful. What works for them is that they have a number of solid top 50 players (Robredo, Ferrer, Ferrero, Almagro, Montanes etc.) who could beat each other on their day and are competitive against virtually any opponent.

I think we have pretty much the same scenario in that behind Boggo just about anyone can beat anyone else, as has been proved recently with Smetty and Goodall beating Evo and Wardinator beating Ward. I think we should just pick the team on an individual basis for each tie, considering the surface and who is in good form at the time. Why do we want an all surface team? We want a team who can beat Turkey on grass in July. If Goodall and Eaton are the best players to do that specific job then they should be picked, regardless if they aren't the best players for an away tie on clay.

While this may not be great for continuity or supposed team morale I don't see a huge issue. The players all see enough of each other and practice with each other at the home Futures events and even so they still have the whole week beforehand to 'gel'.

This is only for the singles players though, I think we have to keep Flemski whatever the surface or the opponent, unless Hutchins suddenly breaks into the top 20 or something.

LadyTigress · County player

The point was made in the Ukraine tie that the venue had been chosen to cater to Andy's preference of surface... Silly decision. Not because Andy then fell ill and couldn't play, because who could've seen that coming, but because for goodness' sakes, he's world number 4, does it matter what surface you stick him on against anyone on the Ukrainian team? The surface should've been chosen to the preferences of Team GB's weakest member - remember all those adages about "you're only as strong as you're weakest man" etc etc?

No question in my mind that we need to keep Flemski. And if it's at Eastbourne, good grass players will be needed.

indiana · Tennis legend

I don't disagree that there is a case for considering a different team for grass, I just kind of disagree it being played on grass at all.

Play our overall best players on as Steven puts it "most neutral" surface or as I'd say most predictable in that's what most matches played on, i.e. hard.

Our best two vs your best two on hard, game on.

Grass to me would have been more of an option if we were underdogs.

I am sure that it isn't compulsory for GB to play summer home Davis Cup ties on grass smile

Josh · Challenger level

But hasn't it been confirmed that the tie will be on grass? If so I think Goodall and Eaton need serious considertion, assuming Boggo is unavailable.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes I believe so. It was more just a continued well, I think this is what should have been happening smile

Who plays on grass at Eastbourne ? Ask me nearer the time.

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

With defo be on grass at Eastbourne.... no point in them building another court when they have a perfectably good grass court and there are no other courts that they could even consider using.

I imagine the two singles players will be decided nearer the time as given who the Turks have, we should have many players who should be able to beat their second player, and unless someone goes on a great run, whoever has the best form over the grass court season should be in contention for the spot.

I'll still be around in Eastbourne at that time so I'll definately be going to the tie.

zarrafak · Lower Club Player

I'm not sure that grass or Eastbourne would be the correct choice for DC just after Wimbledon saturation and, more particularly, NOT on World Cup Finals weekend. More atmosphere could definitely be generated in Scotland that particular weekend.
If it MUST be on grass (for whatever obscure reason), I'd go for Bogdanovic and Eaton with Flemski. Eaton looks much stronger and a yard faster this year than last - and with his serve/volley game, although sometimes unpredictable, there is a strong possbility he could beat the Turkish No1. Bogdanovic for his part, I would expect to have no problems against the unranked No2.
Also, as these would be the first two matches, there should be less of the pressure on the players for these 'winable' matches.

Flemski should again, bar injury or serious form loss, be an automatic choice for the doubles.
- The bonus here is that Fleming plays a similar serve/volley style to Chris Eaton and would be an excellent singles replacement for either of the two selected players, especially on a fast(ish) grass court.

indiana · Tennis legend

ForeverDelayed wrote:

With defo be on grass at Eastbourne.... no point in them building another court when they have a perfectably good grass court and there are no other courts that they could even consider using.

I imagine the two singles players will be decided nearer the time as given who the Turks have, we should have many players who should be able to beat their second player, and unless someone goes on a great run, whoever has the best form over the grass court season should be in contention for the spot.

I'll still be around in Eastbourne at that time so I'll definately be going to the tie.

Ah, sorry FD, I was really joking when I said presumably they are not going to be building a hard court at Eastbourne smile

I realised Eastbourne meant grass

Maybe should have put a rather than a

Yes, as I indicated earlier, particularly on grass, far too early to be clear about who the best singles players are going to be for the tie, quite apart from work out who might actually be picked ! ( since we know these can be bit different )

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 18th of March 2010 03:33:54 PM

clayfan · Lower Club Player

I have never been to Eastbourne, but I have a mental image of a genteel, gentrified almost geriatric sort of place. Outdoors it will be difficult to generate the atmosphere which would make good use of our home tie. It is a good idea to take the DC to major cities with a noisy crowd. That said the week after Wimbledon is no time to be changing surfaces with players wanting to take in a few post Wimbledon grass tournaments I am sure.

Many nowadays are not at their best on grass. James Ward certainly. Perhaps Jamie Baker as well. The temptation to put in players who have impressed during the grass season (perhaps Eaton or Inglot?) will have to be restisted if we are to bolster the confidence of the players who will play on other surfaces. As Zarafak says, the Sunday is the day of the World Cup final which may mean attention may be focussed elsewhere, even among the crowd!