Davis Cup 2015 - World Group Final - 27th-29th November

Spectator · All-time great

RE: Davis Cup 2015 - World Group Final - 27th-29th November

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

It's a good enough likeness that I recognised him in the picture but Bob looks a fair bit younger in real life - then again, the last time I met him was at the Russia tie, I think, and he's had a couple of years of Brazil-related hassle since then!

It was indeed the Russia tie. I may well be couple of years older, but also a few pounds lighter as well, sadly in the wallet as much as around the waistline.

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Monday 30th of November 2015 07:03:53 PM

emma · Strong Club Player

my congratulations to Andy and the team

words cant really express how Andy must have felt yesterday but what a year its been for him

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Closing paragraph of Matt Dickinson's assessment of the Murray-Goffin match in today's Times:

The British fans spilt out into Ghent, singing "We are the champions" on the trams as they headed to the bars. Murray went off to celebrate with his team and to work out where this ranks. It was his victory. How generous of him to let the rest of Great Britain share in it.

davidn · Junior player

can't add anything to what has been said by others, it just looked like a fantastic occasion to be a British tennis fan, even watching on a screen from New Zealand in the early hours of the morning!!

indiana · Tennis legend

There have been various reports coming out about the Davis Cup team's Monday Ghent press conference. From the Mail :

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-3340039/Andy-Murray-delivers-damning-verdict-hapless-LTA-running-British-tennis-Davis-Cup-triumph.html

And it wasn't just Andy, it seems that most if not all of them, certainly including Kyle and Jamie and to an interesting extent Leon were chipping in once things got going.

The workings of the LTA, the situation of the NTC, the lack of good juniors, very similar to the sort of criticisms recently made by Simon Briggs in the Telegraph. Yes. some of his comments ( and headline writer's ) were a bit OTT, but to me he was overly dismissed at he time with comments along the lines of 'typical at a time of good Davis Cup news'. As I said then I was sure that many folk in tennis would agree with most of what Briggs was saying. Now here we have the Davis Cup team themselves in their moment of triumph, instead of just basking in the glory, seizing that moment to spell out many truths as they see them, in particular with the LTA.

Hail

indiana · Tennis legend

Hopefully the LTA will seek to meet the team and discuss their concerns, even if discussing with their main stakeholders, players, clubs etc, is not their norm.

There has apparently been remarkably little contact between Michael Downey and Andy.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

The Smith brothers are champions of British tennis.

Maybe not quite in the Murray brothers' league but all the same....

Leon is now a 'living legend'

Toby Smith is the coach to some of the top Scottish youngsters (e.g. Aidan McHugh, Jake Fernley, Ewen Lumsden and Alexangra Hunter)

Gary Smith is also a registered coach.

Well done to them - and, in light of the comments above from our team of players who know what they're talking about, thank God we have people like them

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Wow. Well done Andy and the rest, it won't make you very popular with the brass, but it really had to be said.

Priesty · Challenger level

And one would certainly hope it was listened to. Never again will there be a better moment for the team to air their views. Collectively they have more pulling power now than ever before.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Saw Toby Smith at Liverpool. Didn't realise the connection. He was looking after Aidan, but I don't recall him around when Alex was playing her doubles final.

Vandenburg · Futures level

indiana wrote:
There have been various reports coming out about the Davis Cup team's Monday Ghent press conference. From the Mail :

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-3340039/Andy-Murray-delivers-damning-verdict-hapless-LTA-running-British-tennis-Davis-Cup-triumph.html

And it wasn't just Andy, it seems that most if not all of them, certainly including Kyle and Jamie and to an interesting extent Leon were chipping in once things got going.

The workings of the LTA, the situation of the NTC, the lack of good juniors, very similar to the sort of criticisms recently made by Simon Briggs in the Telegraph. Yes. some of his comments ( and headline writer's ) were a bit OTT, but to me he was overly dismissed at he time with comments along the lines of 'typical at a time of good Davis Cup news'. As I said then I was sure that many folk in tennis would agree with most of what Briggs was saying. Now here we have the Davis Cup team themselves in their moment of triumph, instead of just basking in the glory, seizing that moment to spell out many truths as they see them, in particular with the LTA.

Hail

Time to face some hard truths.

1)Tennis in the UK is extremely middle class and elitist

2)Tennis is australia, france and croatia is not

3) There are other sports that are extremely middle class and elitist in the UK, , but however the failings of these sports is not documented as only a few nations play these minor sports (cricket, rugby, golf).

4)Swimming another example like tennis.

You can spend millions on coaches and tennis centres, but the real issue is the social structure of this nation, which i'm afraid is too far gone now to solve. Thanks maggie.

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

I am bit confused by all this "NTC closing is now the problem" suggestions - I thought the NTC was supposed to be the sterile, atmosphere-lacking white elephant and that centres based all around the country werer preferable?

Born2WinTennis · Club Coach

Vandenburg wrote:
indiana wrote:
There have been various reports coming out about the Davis Cup team's Monday Ghent press conference. From the Mail :

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-3340039/Andy-Murray-delivers-damning-verdict-hapless-LTA-running-British-tennis-Davis-Cup-triumph.html

And it wasn't just Andy, it seems that most if not all of them, certainly including Kyle and Jamie and to an interesting extent Leon were chipping in once things got going.

The workings of the LTA, the situation of the NTC, the lack of good juniors, very similar to the sort of criticisms recently made by Simon Briggs in the Telegraph. Yes. some of his comments ( and headline writer's ) were a bit OTT, but to me he was overly dismissed at he time with comments along the lines of 'typical at a time of good Davis Cup news'. As I said then I was sure that many folk in tennis would agree with most of what Briggs was saying. Now here we have the Davis Cup team themselves in their moment of triumph, instead of just basking in the glory, seizing that moment to spell out many truths as they see them, in particular with the LTA.

Hail
Time to face some hard truths.
1)Tennis in the UK is extremely middle class and elitist
2)Tennis is australia, france and croatia is not
3) There are other sports that are extremely middle class and elitist in the UK, , but however the failings of these sports is not documented as only a few nations play these minor sports (cricket, rugby, golf).
4)Swimming another example like tennis.

You can spend millions on coaches and tennis centres, but the real issue is the social structure of this nation, which i'm afraid is too far gone now to solve. Thanks maggie.

I don't personally think it's too far gone now to solve. It just takes time and a lot of motivated people willing to volunteer their time to make a difference. The LTA is now focusing on participation rather than performance, any criticism regarding the NTC can be deflected on the old regime. The answer is parks tennis and this is how Canada made improvements in participation figures (while Downey was in charge). Every park with tennis courts operates as a pay-as-you-go club, therefore people have a choice to join a posh, snooty, middle class club or play at their local park. If all our parks with courts offered social group play, coaching, team matches, tournaments etc we would have vastly improved participation figures. It can be achieved, but it could take 10 years and a resolute strategic plan from the LTA that doesn't shift the focus back to performance on the back of such criticism from the pros.

Spectator · All-time great

It's clearly an unhappy situation when the national federation is seen by many of its top players and coaches as being at best an irrelevance and at worst an impediment. Indiana, what I had objected to in the Briggs piece wasn't that it critiqued the LTA but rather (a) the timing and (b) the fact that it suggested that there was almost nothing behind the Murrays and Jo Konta, conveniently overlooking the achievements of some quite decent players. That's not the same thing as saying that there aren't junior players coming up the ranks, or that the LTA needs to do more to promote tennis, or that their constant reversals of strategy are creating issues for people.

To my mind one of the most telling criticisms of the LTA is actually in this piece, where one ironic paragraph sums up a certain passivity on the part of the LTA vis a vis capitalising on success: www.scotsman.com/sport/tennis/andy-murray-action-needed-to-inspire-next-generation-1-3963015.