Davis Cup - Euro Africa Zone Group II R1 v Tunisia (home) - 4-6 March 2011

Count Zero · Tennis legend

RE: Davis Cup - Euro Africa Zone Group II R1 v Tunisia (home) - 4-6 March 2011

LadyTigress · County player

Count Zero wrote:

i got a bad feeling about this one.

Oh? hmm How comes?

indiana · Tennis legend

If you assume the seeded teams are the strongest ones, it's nice GB got a home tie but it's probably not helpful that all the other seeds in our half are at home as well, thus increasing their chances.

Strangely. it's quite the opposite in the other half of the draw. All the seeded teams are away.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

LadyTigress wrote:

Count Zero wrote:

i got a bad feeling about this one.

Oh? How comes?

i think it might be some dodgy rice biggrin

indiana · Tennis legend

LadyTigress wrote:

Count Zero wrote:

i got a bad feeling about this one.

Oh? How comes?

He's heard Boggo's making his Davis Cup comeback for this one !

Honest, I didn't say that, it was him over there.........

LadyTigress · County player

Well, I'm guessing that we're not going to choose a clay venue, since as Steven says our opponents have the most experience with clay. Grass or hard courts do you think? Got to be indoor carpet in March I'd have thought, the open air grass courts would be a bit chilly in March and I can't see Wimbly being used even with the roof closed.

Yeah, I noticed that pattern too! Coincidence I'm sure, but the commentators were also saying on the radio broadcast that the "TOP" ball kept on being drawn.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

yeah I'm not sure hosting at wimby would be wise, Centre Ct might feel a bit empty when only ten men and their dog turn up to watch :)

A quick indoor hard ct will be fine to be honest, not point faffing around with carpet, its so seldom on the tour our guys wont have much experience of it either.

no idea of venues, but this tie is going to be small scale.

steven · Tennis legend

LadyTigress wrote:
Sigh. Yes. And Greece too! Would've been nice to have had a holiday in Monaco or Greece! At least we're not off to any of the Baltic states in March. Again, as last year, Ireland is close and could be a nice place to visit, but in terms of the tie, the DC commentators seemed to think we were screwed if we get Ireland in the next round. I think we will win against Tunisia, so I'm keeping fingers crossed that we get Luxembourg in July, and then hopefully not Cyprus for the promotion match. At least we can be fairly confident that we won't face relegation this time by getting a win against Tunisia first tie of the year.

Thanks for the info on Tunisia, Steven. Who do you think we're likely to match up against in later rounds?

I think Ireland will come through against Luxembourg, particularly at home and if Sorensen and Niland are both available to play.

I mean, Gilles Muller has a very good record in DC but he's not really got any backup - Scheidweiler who played 4 singles rubbers this year (won v Andorra & Malta, lost v Georgia & Moldova) is unranked in singles. However, he did team up with Muller to beat Chikhladze/Labadze, so given our strength in doubles, it might be a good thing if Muller wins two singles v Ireland and they sneak the doubles, because our players could lose to both Sorensen and Niland (if Andy doesn't play) whereas it's hard to see them losing to the LUX no. 2 or losing the dubs to them.

It is very hard to work out who is likely to come through the BLR/BUL/CYP/HUN quarter. I wouldn't expect Hungary (Atilla Balazs WR 210 but nobody else in the top 400) to reach R3 and if Baggy follows through on his decision to stop playing DC (which he might not with the prospect of a promotion tie v GB, especially if the lots drawing means it will be in Cyprus!), you'd have to favour the winner of the BLR v BUL match.

Since shocking Spain 4-1 in Minsk on indoor carpet to reach the World Group QFs in 2006 (Mirnyi and Voltchkov beat Robredo, Voltchkov beat Ferrer too and they teamed up in doubles to beat Lopez and Verdasco), Belarus have lost 9 of their last 11 ties, beating only Georgia and Macedonia, both at home, and going down 5-0 to Australia, South Africa and Italy, all away. Mirnyi seems to only play doubles for them these days so their top singles player is 20-y-o Ignatik WR 163, who in DC in 2010 beat Klizan but lost to Lacko, Haase, de Bakker, Starace and Bolelli. They also don't have anyone else in the top 400.

The mainstays for Bulgaria these days are Dimitrov WR 146, who in DC this year beat Oger and Balleret but lost to Kavcic, and Enev WR 725, who lost to Zemlja, Kavcic and Balleret.

In both Ignatik's and Dimi's cases, another 6 months of development is quite a long time, but assuming all the players I have mentioned play, I think home advantage might sway a tight tie towards Belarus, who should then win R2 unless Baggy plays for Cyprus - and possibly even if he does.

-- Edited by steven on Wednesday 22nd of September 2010 12:03:44 PM

wolf · Tennis legend

Ireland/Luxembourg is 50/50 IMO if everyone plays. Muller should win both his singles matches and I would have Muller/Scheidweiler as favourites against the Irish pair, but home advantage for Ireland might pull them through.

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

Count Zero wrote:

i got a bad feeling about this one.

punch it Wardy

LadyTigress · County player

steven wrote:

LadyTigress wrote:
Sigh. Yes. And Greece too! Would've been nice to have had a holiday in Monaco or Greece! At least we're not off to any of the Baltic states in March. Again, as last year, Ireland is close and could be a nice place to visit, but in terms of the tie, the DC commentators seemed to think we were screwed if we get Ireland in the next round. I think we will win against Tunisia, so I'm keeping fingers crossed that we get Luxembourg in July, and then hopefully not Cyprus for the promotion match. At least we can be fairly confident that we won't face relegation this time by getting a win against Tunisia first tie of the year.

Thanks for the info on Tunisia, Steven. Who do you think we're likely to match up against in later rounds?
I think Ireland will come through against Luxembourg, particularly at home and if Sorensen and Niland are both available to play.

I mean, Gilles Muller has a very good record in DC but he's not really got any backup - Scheidweiler who played 4 singles rubbers this year (won v Andorra & Malta, lost v Georgia & Moldova) is unranked in singles. However, he did team up with Muller to beat Chikhladze/Labadze, so given our strength in doubles, it might be a good thing if Muller wins two singles v Ireland and they sneak the doubles, because our players could lose to both Sorensen and Niland (if Andy doesn't play) whereas it's hard to see them losing to the LUX no. 2 or losing the dubs to them.

It is very hard to work out who is likely to come through the BLR/BUL/CYP/HUN quarter. I wouldn't expect Hungary (Atilla Balazs WR 210 but nobody else in the top 400) to reach R3 and if Baggy follows through on his decision to stop playing DC (which he might not with the prospect of a promotion tie v GB, especially if the lots drawing means it will be in Cyprus!), you'd have to favour the winner of the BLR v BUL match.

Since shocking Spain 4-1 in Minsk on indoor carpet to reach the World Group QFs in 2006 (Mirnyi and Voltchkov beat Robredo, Voltchkov beat Ferrer too and they teamed up in doubles to beat Lopez and Verdasco), Belarus have lost 9 of their last 11 ties, beating only Georgia and Macedonia, both at home, and going down 5-0 to Australia, South Africa and Italy, all away. Mirnyi seems to only play doubles for them these days so their top singles player is 20-y-o Ignatik WR 163, who in DC in 2010 beat Klizan but lost to Lacko, Haase, de Bakker, Starace and Bolelli. They also don't have anyone else in the top 400.

The mainstays for Bulgaria these days are Dimitrov WR 146, who in DC this year beat Oger and Balleret but lost to Kavcic, and Enev WR 725, who lost to Zemlja, Kavcic and Balleret.

In both Ignatik's and Dimi's cases, another 6 months of development is quite a long time, but assuming all the players I have mentioned play, I think home advantage might sway a tight tie towards Belarus, who should then win R2 unless Baggy plays for Cyprus - and possibly even if he does.

Hmmm. Go Luxembourg? blankstare

I should think we'll get through our first round match at least, no matter what later match ups we get, and if we can do that then at least we avoid a relegation play off in 2011.

clayfan · Lower Club Player

They have already drawn the home advantages for subsequent rounds. Reading the PDF version of the draw, which shows who gets choice of ground in the event of the tie going to lots, GB had better make the most of the home tie against Tunisia. Although at home vs Luxembourg, we would be away to Ireland, Bulgaria, Belorus, Cyprus and Hungary in all the subsequent rounds!

SMC1809 · All-time great

Count Zero wrote:

yeah I'm not sure hosting at wimby would be wise, Centre Ct might feel a bit empty when only ten men and their dog turn up to watch :)

A quick indoor hard ct will be fine to be honest, not point faffing around with carpet, its so seldom on the tour our guys wont have much experience of it either.

no idea of venues, but this tie is going to be small scale.

And the winner is..........Bolton!

http://www.lta.org.uk/News/All-news-items/2010-10-11/Bolton-Arena-chosen-for-Davis-Cup-by-BNP-Paribas-tie/

indiana · Tennis legend

Good to see the this tie being taken to the north of England. Hope it works well for them.

jmjhb · Lower Club Player

Excellent, should be able to get to this.

Whoever said it's difficult to get there by rail, well, it's not really - The Bolton Arena is located next to Horwich Parkway rail station, which is about 25 mins from either Manchester or Preston.