Davis Cup 2016 World Group Semi Final - GB v Argentina - 16th to 18th September

RJA · Hall of fame

RE: Davis Cup 2016 World Group Semi Final - GB v Argentina - 16th to 18th September

indiana · Tennis legend

Kyle or Dan. Dan or Kyle. We need a mole in the camp ...

theemptyvessel · Club Coach

Pretty sure that it will be Kyle and Dan with Dom missing out. Hard to make a case for 2 doubles specialists when Andy and Jamie are such a strong team.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

If the Argies have one guy above and one below Delpo in rankings, doesn't that mean that they can play him against Andy on the first or last day?

Topemp · Strong Club Player

Helen40 wrote:
If the Argies have one guy above and one below Delpo in rankings, doesn't that mean that they can play him against Andy on the first or last day?

Ooh clever, I think you're right. Play Delpo as Number 1 in first, and then play him against Andy last (after letting Andy play two matches) and rest Delpo for Doubles-sounds plausible. If they then put player ranked above Delpo in for 2nd singles presumably they can't make him play our No 2 twice.

On Dan v Kyle, my hunch would be to go for Dan but I expect Leon to go for Kyle.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

This is quite a dilemma I imagine for Leon.

We've discussed the possibilities if Delpo is no 2, but not if they have him as their no 1, or both.

If we know Andy would play Delpo on day 3, would it be wise to put him (Andy) into the dubs too? If not, who would you put into the dubs?

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

RJA wrote:
Helen40 wrote:
When is the deadline to confirm the four man team?

And also, when will we know the OOP for Friday?
In both cases it will be Thursday morning.

Thanks.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

indiana wrote:

I don't think we conclusively established the ranking date that counts for Davis Cup. But if it is next Monday then JMDP, having reached the USO QF, is one win away from being back to Argentina #1.

RJA wrote:

I have just read the Davis Cup rule book and the relevant rule says

"Before commencement of the draw each captain must give to the referee the names of his two singles players in order of merit based on the most recent world computer singles ranking accepted by the ITF"

That strongly suggests to me that it will be the post US Open ranking

That seems to add clarity, the highest ranked player is No 1, either way it works to our advantage in that either Andy plays Delpotro first up, when he is at his freshest or he plays the 3rd best Argentinian first up making it from a statistical perspective , an easier game.

Kyle is my number 2 pick, at the moment it's close, regardless of the outcome we are so much stronger than a year ago when Andy really only got help from big bro. As we saw in Serbia to maintain our position and prominence on prime time TV... attract elite athletes etc.... team depth is essential and Dan's progress has been phenomenal.

I feel it will become more obvious as Kyle matures that through his greater weight of shot he will increasingly be able to win when not at the top of his game. Dan has much less margin for error having to hit closer to the lines to achieve the same effect. A qwick look at the Dallas challenger final will address any gut feelings that favour Dan.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Tuesday 13th of September 2016 12:03:15 PM

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

I know that Leon pays a lot of attention to particular match ups and not just form. The US Open has shown that both Kyle and Dan are in excellent form and NEITHER of them would be a bad choice. Clearly DelPo is going to be one of the singles players for Argentina, the other (on ranking) will be either Delbonis or Pella. Both of those are left handed. I know this will get the statos twitching, but I wonder what the comparison is between Kyle and Dan for playing against left handers. That may well be a factor in Leon's decision making.

RJA · Hall of fame

I would be utterly amazed if Delbonis doesn't get the nod over the Pella. Both guys prefer clay but in Pella's case around 80% of his countable ATP points are on the dirt where as Delbonis has had a number of good results on hard courts. Either Dan or Kyle would start as a very strong favourite against Pella.

indiana · Tennis legend

Interesting, Bob, and another factor to throw into the equation.

Re Oakland again mentioning the Dallas Challenger final, where Kyle indeed did decisively beat Dan, as was said by some before, especially since it was indicated that there thus couldn't really be any debate re our #2, that was one match on one particular day. Players have good days, they have bad days, and if one assigned a merit ranking between two players on single results between them I can think of some very weird choices that that would lead to. And Dallas was seven months ago, much water has passed under the bridge since then and pretty positive water from these two players. Yes, it's there and to be recalled, but certainly no decisive factor and not at all necessarily an overrider of say a gut feeling that Leon may have, when weighing everything together, as to who is his choice, who he sees as the most likely winner at this time, on this occasion.

At least we now have recognition that it is close. It seems quite clear that it is, and much more relevant is the latest form both have shown over a number of matches at the US Open, which has not to me indicated any really clear separation. Though there are certainly factors from there to look at and weigh, as will very importantly be how each has come out of the US Open.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 13th of September 2016 04:41:59 PM

JonH · All-time great

Interesting video on the DC site showing France team training ahead of their tie. Shows Pouille and Gasquet playing and also variously Monfils, Mahut and Herbert. But Pouille is there and I guess at this stage the French will still need to perm two singles players from Monfils, Pouille and Gasquet, with Mahut and Herbert presumably a cert. With Mahut there, that gives them a singles back up as well to the two they select. But obviously it isnt a done deal on Gasquet playing at this stage...

Oakland2002 · All-time great

To be fair they were both magnificent at the US Open, difficult to drop the man in possession particularly after such a good performance in the last round.

Dan has been quite canny in terms of his trip out east while the rest of the ATP main tour were on the dirt in and around Paris. Kyle has just got on and played tournaments that will help his development so I don't think ranking is particularly relevant.

Both had great runs at the US open ending with Kyle getting spanked by the world no. 1 and Dan nearly beating the world no 3 who then went and beat Nole.

Really there is only one way to separate them and I think Leon is at this very moment pouring over Dan and Kyle's last meeting, which dare I say it was in Texas somewhere. I swear it was Dallas.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Tuesday 13th of September 2016 10:15:27 PM

skibbarriz · Strong Club Player

I have to feel that how Dan and Kyle match up when playing each other isn't the most relevant thing when determining who is the best candidate for a tie. Considering Kyle did so well in the last tie and got rave reviews, I can't see the case to drop him. Because while the challenge for a place from Evo is strong, it's not clearly stronger.

But the bigger picture is it's fantastic we can have such conversations around British Davis Cup selection and the positivity the progression of these players gives to British tennis. These are heady times, unlike anything that's been seen for decades.

RJA · Hall of fame

Honestly all of this speculation and analysis is pretty much pointless. What we know form the past is that Leon will go with his gut instinct and pick the player who he thinks is mostly likely to win the match.