Thanks paulsi.

I'm not really surprised that Judy went for Katie - although not too much between them.

The group stages shouldn't be an issue - South Africa and Georgia have weak number 2's and Katie will not feel out of place. It's the playoff match that may be a concern and then the pressure will be on Hev and Jossana to deliver.

Coup Droit wrote:

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Katie was my pick on the previous page because I think Judy knows Katie a lot better and they've worked together more. It makes sense.

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Surely it makes sense to pick the player you see as most likely to win when it matters. Which I suspect is what Judy has done

Sorry, I just get into ultra pragmatic mode re Davis Cup and Fed Cup team selections and I do think Liam and Judy are very pragmatic.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 2nd of February 2016 01:29:41 PM

Cheers, CD, I was just about to actually add a thought that of course if Judy felt that she could more help Katie towards the necessary win(s) I could understand that as a factor.

I think we are on the same page, sorry.

Think it through first, Indy.

 

PS: I still won't at times, all part of the fun  

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 2nd of February 2016 01:41:02 PM

I think Freya would have been the better pick, for this year, for this task - play up to 6 singles matches in 3 days. All of which boil down to fitness issues...

1. Stamina. Katie had a couple of ITF main tour singles matches last year in which I suspect she probably lost (in 3 sets, having won the first), because her mid-20s opponents simply outlasted her.

2. Strength. The one time I've seen Katie play main tour singles, she was hit off the court by Pironkova.

3. Shoulder. If she's got a problem that kept her from playing AO juniors, where she could withdraw entirely at her own cost at any point, if it became a serious issue, I don't think she should be put in a position where I think she would feel obligated to play on through the pain barrier, to avoid letting the side down, at the possible risk of doing herself serious long term damage.

I'd be delighted to be proved wrong on all of these, especially, of course, the last. But I think that Freya would have been a safer pair of hands to play second fiddle - certainly seems to be fit as a fiddle - even if Katie would seem more likely to finish up as a future virtuoso.

(Potentially) 6 singles matches in 3 days is twice the usual physical ask of the ITF circuit - quadruple the frequency of matches at the Slams. If Katie looks the best pick on Thursday morning, she might not by Saturday afternoon.

Not sure where you are getting 6 singles from.

It is two singles and a doubles match per day and the second singles player is unlikely to play doubles. So the second singles player will play once per day.