Davis Cup 2014 - World Group Quarter-Final - 4-6 Apr - ITA v GB

DF · Tennis legend

RE: Davis Cup 2014 - World Group Quarter-Final - 4-6 Apr - ITA v GB

DF · Tennis legend

Seppi takes the first st 6 - 4

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

indiana wrote:
Hmm, I didn't see anyone here yesterday saying that Andy / Colin was anything other than the doubles selection they would have gone for.

Re Jonny Marray, Gary, I love the guy and his winning Wimbledon was epic, but it does not and should not make him a shoo in as a Davis Cup selection among many very good doubles players. We also had a year of Fleming / Marray never really being that convincing as a pair, actually less so than I expected. In my view to state, apparently unreservedly, that a Fleming / Marray partnership would have also won the doubles yesterday is absurd. They might have, but they would have needed to be absolutely excellent. In truth, by all appearances, Leon made an excellent doubles selection.

As for today, Fognini once again proved what an excellent player he is, and clearly most particularly on clay, and in normal circumstances Andy playing an additional set and two games yesterday on top of them both playing the 4 sets of doubles should not have made Andy significantly more weary. Maybe that pesky virus did catch up with him a bit, but that was maybe an unknown to everybody. Ultimately though, Fognini beating Murray on clay in Italy, particularly this year, could never be classed as any particular shock.

Truth is this always looked a dodgy match on paper, and I kind of just leaned to Fognini before the tie, which is largely why I made Italy slight favourites overall. From what we had witnessed overall in Naples, I came round to the view that Andy was actually about 60/40 favourite for today. But, sadly, it was not to be.

Certainly Italy were strong favourites before the final rubber, and to my mind still are favourites, but James has shown too often how he can raise his game in the Davis Cup environment to be counted out.

Wiining this first set would help ! Go, James !

It was always a risk that Andy would lose a singles rubber against 1 of the Italian clay specialists so we needed someone who has beaten top 40 players more often than any other player and its obviously wardie

Check out Evo on the best GB wins from memory was it around no15 Evo does not get chance because of bad boy reputation but he can be a bad boy for his opponents beating high ranked players on big occasion .

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

DF wrote:I
No point theorising.

Play to restart.

Key to greatness can be learning from

Your mistakes !

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

Wardie putting in decent performance for his level against higher ranked player had chances in first set , if can cut down the errors and wardie won 2nd set pressure might get to the Italian and we could still save this tie

indiana · Tennis legend

Oh, and Gary, I just can't agree with your Evo campaign.

Evo has certainly overall looked better than James over the last year and has played to a really high level on some occasions, most notably on hard courts. But Davis Cup selection is not an award for that, it is about the here and now for this tie on clay in Italy. I was not surprised Leon went with James and I have no doubt that he made this judgement for all the right reasons. Not at all saying that previous relative form and ranking is irrelevant, of course it isn't ( before I get misquoted again ), but it is a rather more complex judgement than that.

I am constantly amazed ( although I should be becoming less so ) how people prioritise other reasons for Davis Cup and Fed Cup selections rather than just a judgement of who is most likely to win at the time. Thankfully Leon has his priorities right !

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I don't really believe in luck in matches but that wrong call on James' first serve at 30-30 4*-5 in the first set. Should have been a service winner and then it's GP for James, They replay it and James loses, now BP for Seppi.
And at BP for James in the second, Seppi gets a deadball let.

:::(((

RJA · Hall of fame

James looks beaten. That last game was pathetic, just mindless ball bashing.

indiana · Tennis legend

Far too early to be concluding that !

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Despite what Indy says, we're stuffed ( cry ), though I'd give just about anything to be proved wrong...

RJA · Hall of fame

indiana wrote:
Far too early to be concluding that !

Perhaps, but at the moment James' body language is that of someone who thinks he is going to lose.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

RJA wrote:
indiana wrote:
Far too early to be concluding that !
Perhaps, but at the moment James' body language is that of someone who thinks he is going to lose.

He's had amazing comebacks at DC in the past. I think he could still win, if only he can believe.. Great dro pshot from Seppi though. I have admired the touch from the Italians today. Cummon James!!

indiana · Tennis legend

Well done James, great hold. He has no intention of going away.

indiana · Tennis legend

Darn, bad game. OK, I do now feel very bad about this.

But still, c'mon James !

RJA · Hall of fame

indiana wrote:
Well done James, great hold. He has no intention of going away.

Erm, you are supposed to jinx the opposition, not your own player.