Davis Cup 2017 World Group R1 - Canada v Great Britain - 3-5 February

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Davis Cup 2017 World Group R1 - Canada v Great Britain - 3-5 February

JonH · All-time great

All to play for now - all 3 remaining matches could go either way, particularly if Kyle doesnt improve.

Doubles, I favour Canada, but only 60-40, Jamie and Dom (with Dom's serve working) have a shout but Canadians are probably favourites.

Dan should be able to beat Pospisil on a fast court, and if Pospisil is injured, Dan will beat Polansky. But again Dan v Pospisil is probably a 60-40 call on this court.

So likely to be down to Kyle last rubber out - with the way Kyle played yesterday, I wouldnt be confident, but he should be able to edge it.

All 3 rubbers feel like 60-40 one way or another to me!

Spectator · All-time great

Thanks, Oakland, for putting so many things I feel better than I could! Pity about Mr Edmund's match - but no real shock (except perhaps in the comprehensive nature of the loss). An interesting tie from this point onwards.

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

I don't mean to put a curse on my favourite player, but I make Dam a heavy favourite against Pospisil. I remember watching their match in Vanouver in 2013, though that is so long ago that it will have no bearing on this weekend. If VP really is carrying an injury, Dan will expoit it. We know that VK is an excellent doubles player when he puts his mind to it. So, for me the crunch match is Kyle v. Shapovalov. Should be an interesting match, I wonder what the odds are.... Have a great w/e all!

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Stircrazy wrote:
There's what looks (haven't read it yet) like an interesting interview with Dan in today's Times under the heading 'I let a lot of people down. I'm trying to repay them'; sub-heading: Dan Evans tells Stuart Fraser, in Ottawa, that his wild nights and no-shows are in the past after a remarkable rise up the rankings and an impressive Australian Open.

For the record, it is an interesting interview. He definitely had a "road to Damascus" moment in about May 2015 (when he was a no-show for a Futures event in the Wirral).

A bit from today's coverage of the tie:

Edmund, ranked No 47, would have fancied his chances of doubling Britain's lead, but he made too many errors against Pospisil, who admittedly is a far better player than his current ranking suggests. Edmund was brutally honest in his post-match assessment.

"My performance was just not good enough really - pretty dismal by my standards," Edmund said. "It needs to be a lot better, to be honest, at this level. It's disappointing when fans travel and spend money to put in a performance like that."

indiana · Tennis legend

Ah, real pity for Kyle. We can discuss and criticise and we do, but Kyle hardly wanted to play poorly, so much the reverse. As said brutally honest, no resort there to such as the court speed or not generally being at the top of his form, when he knows he should still have done much better, and a sense of what must have been feelings of deep exasperation with how things unfolded, feelings that for good or bad are so self contained within his matches.

Thank you, SC.

Spectator · All-time great

Yes, thank you, SC. I must say that while I'm thrilled for Stuart Fraser that he has such a good job, I don't generally buy Murdoch papers, in print or online, so I'm really missing seeing his journalism! My choice, my loss. But it was good to read Kyle Edmund's assessment.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Spectator wrote:
Yes, thank you, SC. I must say that while I'm thrilled for Stuart Fraser that he has such a good job, I don't generally buy Murdoch papers, in print or online, so I'm really missing seeing his journalism! My choice, my loss. But it was good to read Kyle Edmund's assessment.

I sympathise, Spectator, & I wouldn't touch The Sun with the proverbial barge pole, but there's no way I'd buy The Grauniad instead. I did experiment for a while with The Indy, but reading The Times had by that time become too much of an ingrained habit, so I eventually reverted. That said, my original broadband provider was O2, which was bought out three or four years ago by Sky, which did not best please me. I eventually realised that I was being charged by Sky for services (e.g. landline, which at the time was with BT) I wasn't using because I chose not to use them (can't remember the excuse that was trotted when I challenged the practice). I managed to extricate myself from its clutches a couple of years ago. None of the people I spoke to on the telephone during my efforts to end the "relationship" could understand my distaste for putting more money in Murdoch's pockets by continuing to subscribe to Sky Broadband (or buying The Times!), any more than pushy Sky TV salesmen can when I'm approached about buying a subscription & I tell them where to stuff it & why!

Stu Fraser is a relatively recent recruit. Seems to have taken over from Barry Flatman, who appeared to step into the breach as chief tennis writer after Neil Harman admitted to plagiarism two or three years ago & left under a bit of a cloud...

Spectator · All-time great

Anyone who refers to a commercial transaction in which they are trying to get you to pay for something you aren't using as a 'relationship' is asking for trouble!

Yes, I think it was end of last year that Stu Fraser mentioned he'd got the job. It was lovely seeing (on Twitter) the number of people from around the world who wished him well - he's obviously earned a lot of respect along the way. He's one of the people I always look at on Twitter - manages to be both sensible and interesting ... and seems like a decent person.

In re: Kyle Edmund's assessment, I think one of the things that always really strikes me about his comments is that he has so clear a sense of the wider picture. It's not just about "I didn't do well. I'm disappointed in myself." He has a real sense of obligation to those around him, including the fans. A good sort.

indiana · Tennis legend

Herbert & Mahut follow Gasquet and Simon in winning in straight sets vs Nishikori-less Japan.

So if GB beat Canada it's across the channel we go for the QF.

skibbarriz · Strong Club Player

stevemcqueen wrote:
I don't mean to put a curse on my favourite player, but I make Dam a heavy favourite against Pospisil.

This is what happens if you create your own fantasy player combining Dan Evans and Dom Inglot. Occassionally mention of it can slip out.

Spectator · All-time great

indiana wrote:
Herbert & Mahut follow Gasquet and Simon in winning in straight sets vs Nishikori-less Japan.

So if GB beat Canada it's across the channel we go for the QF.

Indeed. And into the lion's den. Their team has not forgotten "that" tie. To quote Nicolas Mahut: "I've played my five matches away. Great Britain would give us the opportunity to play in France, two years after a defeat at Queens which I have not forgotten. It's on the podium of my worst memories. That frustration, that disappointment are still present." http://www.leparisien.fr/sports/tennis-coupe-davis-mahut-a-coeur-d-aller-au-bout-04-02-2017-6654633.php#xtor=AD-1481423553 He's a little less excited about the possibility of Canada.

That was an amazing tie ...

-- Edited by Spectator on Saturday 4th of February 2017 04:37:31 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

Ah the tie when France neglected to pick a doubles partner for Mahut, but had Gasquet unplayed and fresh and ready to down James Ward. It was good fun biggrin

RJA · Hall of fame

Spectator wrote:
In re: Kyle Edmund's assessment, I think one of the things that always really strikes me about his comments is that he has so clear a sense of the wider picture. It's not just about "I didn't do well. I'm disappointed in myself." He has a real sense of obligation to those around him, including the fans. A good sort.

I sometimes feel that maybe he is too much of a good sort in this regard. While obviously it is to his credit that he feels an obligation to others that can create additional pressure on a player that he might be better off without. The Davis Cup is a funny beast for players as it so different to every other tournament they play. Some players thrive in that atmosphere while others find it a terrible burden. It is far too early in Kyle's career to say how things will go but I get the feeling that he his much more comfortable quietly going about his own thing on tour than he is playing in the Davis Cup environment.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

First blood to us in the doubles: GB takes the first set by 7-6(1). smile