Put this in the general section as not GB related. The teams for the DC ties in April are being announced :
Italy v France
Italy - Fognini, Lorenzi, Seppi, Berrettini, Bolelli - Berrettini is the new one for me?
France - Pouille, Mannarino, Herbert, Chardy, Mahut - so none of the big 4 of Tsonga, Monfils, Gasquet, Simon reflecting form and injury.
Spain v Germany
Spain - Nadal, Bautista Agut, Carreno Busta, F. Lopez and Ferrer - as per GB tie plus Rafa!
Germany - A. Zverev, Kohlschreiber, Struff, Marterer, Puetz - not sure if Marterer or Puetz have played before?
Croatia v Kazakhstan
Croatia - Cilic, Coric, Galovic, Mektic and Dodig - strong at top end
Kazakhstan - tbc
USA v Belgium
USA - tbc
Belgium - Bemelmans, De Loore, Vliegen, Gille - no Goffin! And Gille is also a new name to me.
Based on this, USA and Croatia should expect to win, unless Cilic or Coric drop out for Croatia. Spain will be favourites at home. Italy and France looks to be very tight.
Kazakhstan - Mikhail Kukushkin, Aleksandr Nedovyesov, Dmitry Popko, Timur Khabibulin and Denis Yevseyev.
Not that I'm any the wiser - haven't noticed the last four anywhere before !
Kazakhstan - Mikhail Kukushkin, Aleksandr Nedovyesov, Dmitry Popko, Timur Khabibulin and Denis Yevseyev. Not that I'm any the wiser - haven't noticed the last four anywhere before !
Thanks the Addict - I guess that helps firm up USA and Croatia as favourites in their ties!
If they both get through, Croatia will be at home to USA.
If Spain get through they will be away to France or Italy.
In Spain v Germany, Zverev crushed Ferrer first match up, v comfortable. Surprised Ferrer is playing this, not sure if it was Bautista Agut or Carreno Busta who dropped out (to allow Marc Lopez in) but whoever is left will no doubt be lined up if it goes to a 5th rubber, and it could if Zverev plays like this against Nadal and/or Nadal doesnt win later today .
So Spain v Germany and Italy v France both end 1-1 after day 1.
All to play for, doubles could well prove vital as often the case.
Maybe it is me but when I follow these ties it makes me realise how crazy the new Nations Cup proposals are for DC or ATP , whichever version goes forward.
In 10 years, I guarantee, team tennis at nation level will be effectively dead.
Surprisingly no English wiki page but back in the day it was quite a big tennis event, a Davis Cup style event played in winter for European nations. Died a death. Anyone else remember it??
Watching the group 1 promotion best of 3 set scores coming through, I just think "Davis Cup but not as we know it" when you think of epic 5 set matches.
Sorry, I like Leon but can't go with ... ah but better for the kids ... as a major factor. Now be allowed to squirt your opponent or the umpire with water pistols at certain points and now you're talking!