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

Shhh · Challenger level

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

steven · Tennis legend

spud wrote:

Looking at current form after Andy.

YTD points:

22- Smethurst
20- Eaton
19- Boggo
18- Milton
15- Ward
12- Cox

Very poor start it seems from lads so far. Smethers will be getting another 6 points at least this week

Yes, it hasn't been a good start to the year for the GB men - some bad draws and lots of opportunities missed.

Those 22 points for Smethurst already include this week's points, and just to complete the list with everyone who's picked up 10 or more points so far this year, we have:

1200 - Murray
22+ - Smethurst
20 - Eaton
19 - Boggo
18 - Milton
15 - Ward J
12 - Cox
11 - Broady
10 - Goodall

The list at the end of the same week last year read:

1200 - Murray
61 - Boggo
31 - Eaton
26 - Ward J
20 - Evans
19 - Goodall
18 - Baker
14 - Ward A
11 - Inglot
10 - Smethurst

-- Edited by steven on Friday 18th of February 2011 05:48:04 PM

wolf · Tennis legend

As of Monday our top 2 ranked doubles players will be Jamie Murray and Ken Skupski. Unfortunately that means they are the only two out of our top four to have never played together.

I'd love to see the Murray brothers play together in this one, with Andy just playing doubles.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, the doubles is an interesting one. Jamie top ranked, though nearly half his points have come in two tournaments with his bro

, Ken will go second with thius very successful week, Ross 3rd and Colin 4th, Colin and Ken clearly were a pretty successfull partnership, Colin and Ross looking to make progress as one.

I'd actually say as of now, I'd have them as likelihood of being selected almost in reverse order to their rankings : i.e. Colin, Ken, Ross and Jamie

I am pretty sure Colin will be there, Ken probably, Ross maybe as backup and Jamie not.

But may turn out different, and not convinced it will hugely matter....

indiana · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:

I'd love to see the Murray brothers play together in this one, with Andy just playing doubles.

I would guess, especially with Andy's wrist issue that won't be happening. But if he was merely resting up to an extent before IW then might have looked more like a nice option, with him there to maybe toss in against their no 1 singles player on the Sunday if the tie was still live.

daisy · County player

wolf wrote:

As of Monday our top 2 ranked doubles players will be Jamie Murray and Ken Skupski. Unfortunately that means they are the only two out of our top four to have never played together.

Well, whaddya know ..... Jamie and Ken have teamed up to play Delray Beach.
smile

First round oppo - Colin and Ross.
evileye

Wouldn't like to be in Leon's boots picking the team for this tie ....

Count Zero · Tennis legend

team:

* James Ward
* Alex Bogdanovic
* Jamie Baker
* Jamie Murray
* Colin Fleming

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

This is surely Boggo's chance to prove he can supply the goods when he isn't faced with opposition ranked far above him. If he is fit enough, that is.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

I think Boggo's fit, he did turn his ankle last week but felt he would have been good enough to play Delray, he did travel there, only to miss out on the cut.

surprising to see that neither Cox or Milton get a look in, seems Leon has gone for the safer option of picking Ward, Boggo, Baker. i assume he'll see how they play in training etc to decide which 2 make the final cut.

alex03maccy · Grand Slam Champion

Disappointing and predictable from Smith with regards to the Singles players.

steven · Tennis legend

I can see the sense in those picks - there was definitely a case for picking Cox or Milton, but it might have been a case of pitching them in too young (kind of like they did with Evo, and even with Boggo many years ago), so he's picked the three Brits who have played the most at Challenger level since the last tie. We all know that the change to the ATP points system a couple of years ago skews things in favour of going deep in Futures as against winning a round or two in Challengers, which often involves facing better players, and the fact that the three singles players picked are the only three out of the five main candidates for a singles place to have beaten top 200 players since the last DC tie kind of corroborates this. It is of course quite ironic that Boggo is finally being picked again on the day he drops to GB no. 6!

As for the dubs, Flembo gives himself a big advantage by being the best singles player of the four top-ranked Brits in doubles and he's played extensively with all of the other three (except Hutch, but Ross is his current partner) - I thought it would be him and one out of Jamie or Ken, though I'd have gone for Ken ... just.

To Leon's credit, it gives the impression of being a team that he genuinely thinks is the best available rather than one picked to cover his back with the media.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

The Tunisian No 1 on a bit of form actually, reached the final of a Columbian Hard Ct Futures inc a win over the WR 189 in the SF.

funny enough if boggo does play him he'll be again playing someone ranked higher than him in DC!

Count Zero · Tennis legend

From the press Association (also seen in daily mail, virgin, wimby webiste, i guess it's just copy/paste /ont check).

Do you think Ward is annyoyed that despite the fatc he's been GB no 2 for ages none of the media outlets really seem to have picked up on it. Nor the fact that Boggo's No 6 today.
It's maybe not the worst thing in the world for him as being GB no2 isn't really seen as a positive anyhow so maybe it just allows him to get on with it.

Bogdanovic back in Davis Cup fold

(UKPA) 13 minutes ago

Alex Bogdanovic has been recalled to the Great Britain Davis Cup team after more than two years out in the cold.

The 26-year-old British number two was dropped from the side for the tie against Ukraine at the start of 2009 and has not featured since.

Bogdanovic made himself unavailable for last year's tie against Turkey, saying he wanted to concentrate on improving his ranking, but has now seemingly had a change of heart and is set to feature in the Europe/Africa Zone Group II clash with Tunisia in Bolton next month.

With Andy Murray again absent, James Ward, Jamie Baker, Jamie Murray and Colin Fleming complete the five-man squad.

The selection means Fleming will be split from regular doubles partner Ross Hutchins, while Ken Skupski, who won a title in Marseille over the weekend with Robin Haase, missed out.

-- Edited by Count Zero on Monday 21st of February 2011 01:23:22 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

Well, that's an interesting one.

Ironically enough, being someone who has long gone on about the mistreatment by the LTA of Boggo, often related to the Davic Cup, when the Count asked a week or so ago about whether folk would go with Boggo if available, I said this would be one of the few occasions in the last 3 or 4 years I wouldn't have. I just really had some concern re his recent number of matches and fitness. Hopefully he is indeed fit now, and if he does play, I just so hope that it does go well for him.

Ward and Baker are fair enough picks in my view. Ward definitely and re Baker, yes his form hasn't been great and definitely not started the year well. But as I have said before I am sure he is pretty underranked, he is ranked 401 having only twice in the last year lost to a player outside the top 400 with quite a number of victories against players higher ranked and very much higher ranked in some cases. He suffers from not having put 2 wins together in the way the ATP points system goes, being much less rewarding to early losers than the WTA, and as Steven suggests probably re playing Challenger against Futures last year. He also seems very reliable to give of his best and has been there before.

If Boggo is confident in his fitness, fair enough, and Leon and co have a chance to look at the 3 singles players in practice and I presume go with who is looking best between Boggo and Jamie to be 2nd singles to James.

Dan Cox and Josh Milton have done well in the last eight months or so, really picked up, but have not had great starts to thsi year. I think that, combined to maybe not really being that sure re Boggo and Baker and wanting to see them both in practice, has meant not having one of them on board at least as backup. Looking at results, whilst Baker I definitely see as underranked, Dan is probably overranked and more so than Josh who actually does have more wins against higher ranked opponents. If there had been two more definite loooking singles picks, I would still have gone with Dan or Josh as backup, and I had Dan in mind to be initially there with James and Jamie, but with Boggo's selection I understand not going with one of the younger guys on this occasion.

Re the doubles, like most folk here have, I have always gone with Colin if two doubles players are being picked because of his singles abilities. Ken was my next pick, and had become even moreso after last week, and I had edged from Jamie to Ross as maybe next in line. Certainly am rather surprised he hasn't gone for Flemski, but I don't see doubles overall as a major issue and Colin and Jamie should get the job done.

So, in summary I'd say, basically fair enough....

-- Edited by indiana on Monday 21st of February 2011 04:25:39 PM

Count Zero · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:

Well, that's an interesting one.

Ironically enough, being someone who has long gone on about the mistreatment by the LTA of Boggo, often related to the Davic Cup, when the Count asked a week or so ago about whether folk would go with Boggo if available......

Yes, obviusly i did kinda know a little more than i was letting on at that stage wink

I don't actaully know who made the 1st move with regards to Boggo being in the Squad, but i would guss that it was more likey that Leon asked Alex rather than the other way round.

You do kinda feel that this was a chance to get one of the younger guys some experience, however also perhaps it's a chance to build bridges as well, if Leon can patch up a relationship with Alex, which from the sound of it didnt start well with the whole play DC or no WC's thing, then in the long run it will probably be benefical, whilst also thinking he can bring in Cox/Milton next time round etc.