But the Fed team depends rather vitally on the players and the players themselves are unlikely to aim to particulary 'peak' for Fed Cup week, especially so soon after a Slam, although no doubt would like to have been at or near their best.

The federation can put all the best laid plans in place, have the players as ready as they can ( and according to Phil, Hev looked really good in practice ). Also, ensuring Jo doesn't have one of her not that rare bad days, often in pressure matches, may be asking rather a lot of Judy and co.

I'm not blaming the LTA, as such, either. And I know it's not an exact science. But if the players are unlikely to want to peak for Fed Cup week, then that's a problem with the message the LTA is giving. Or the players adherence to it. If it's an issue of coaching from the chair (a really key part of Fed Cup), then that's a different issue and potential problem.

Of course, fluke bad days happen (like fluke good days) - all part of the bell curve or whatever. But to have two out of two singles go so far against prediction and rankings, it begs a few questions.

There are no words

I can understand the disappointment at losing that match but not the suggestion that someone was at fault, that is simply ignoring the person the other side of the net. Soylu is an 18 year old who was world junior number 13 a year ago. From her results she is clearly improving rapidly, so Jo was always going to find her challenging. On paper Heather should have won easily against Cagla Buyukakay but when Cagla beat Svitolina (world ranked 26) 6-0 in the third, Heather's match became 50-50 at best.

I think Judy's feelings about today's performances are quite clear from her demeanour in the latest interview on the LTA website.

At the end of the day, she can only do so much from the bench. If Jo messes up her set points and then hits two howlers therre's not much she can do, she can't hit the shot for her. Similarly, she can try to tell heather to relax and breathe and hit through the ball as many times as she wants but it's down to Heather to implement rather than get tight and start moon balling.

As an aside, Cagla is one to watch his year, she's been threatening to do something special for a wee while now.

Sim wrote:

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So with Anna and Jos winning in 2 sets this is (I think) the score in sets:

Ukraine 11-3 = +8

GB 9-4 = +5

Turkey 6-8 = -2

 

So best Turkey can do is win by 6 sets to 0 tomorrow to get to +4. Not good enough

 

GB best Ukraine 3 matches to 0. GB win group.

GB beat Ukraine by 2 matches to 1 AND by 2 sets or better over the 3 matches then GB win group.

So scores in sets    2-0, 2-0, 0-2  OK,     2-0, 2-1, 1-2  OK   2-1, 2-1, 1-2 Not OK     2-0, 2-1 , 0-2 Not OK

 

 

-- Edited by Sim on Thursday 5th of February 2015 04:23:44 PM

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Nice summary Sim. I was just trying to work this out and came to the same conclusion that Turkey are out of it with any GB win.

 

What I am wondering though, is that if Turkey were to lose one of their rubbers and GB win 2-1, then that would leave only GB and UKR tied on 6 wins and 3 losses.

 

In that scenario is it certain that the first tie-breaking criteria is the set differential? Is there a chance that the first tie-break is the result between the two tied teams?

 

I've tried looking on the Fed Cup site and on Wiki and I can'd find any official details of the tie-breaking rules.

The way it is set up tomorrow actually makes counting sets more important than matches - if we end the tie +2 or better on sets we go through, otherwise not (barring Turkey losing a rubber).

Though tactically it's quite simple - just play one point at a time and try and win it!