Boys: Junior Davis Cup finals, Hungary, clay (week 39)

DavidC · Tennis legend

Boys: Junior Davis Cup finals, Hungary, clay (week 39)

JonH · All-time great

Interesting - in 2011 when we won, our team was Kyle, Luke Bambridge and Evan Hoyt. In 2009 we lost in the final and our team was Andrew Bettles and George Morgan.

indiana · Tennis legend

Surprised we didn't manage more with our 2001 born group, who I assume were all eligible last year. I can't recall if we were able to field close to our strongest team in qualifying.

DavidC · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
Surprised we didn't manage more with our 2001 born group, who I assume were all eligible last year. I can't recall if we were able to field close to our strongest team in qualifying.

We did field a strong team (Jack, George and Harry) but a lot depends on draws. This year we got a good one, but last year we had to play Croatia in our European qualifying group and lost. Croatia went on to the European finals, where they were runners-up to the Czech Republic, comfortably qualifying for the JDC finals. In the JDC finals Croatia reached the semis.

I got ahead of things in my opening post. Today was just a practice day, with matches starting tomorrow.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Go, Felix !!!! (like that lad....)

From Andy Schooler:

"Fantastic result for @chriswilks12's GB team in the #JuniorDavisCup as they beat 3rd seeds USA 2-1 in their opener - @FelixGill11 winning in both singles & doubles. Brazil & Uzbekistan also in group - winner progresses to SFs"

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

WOW. Impressive

DavidC · Tennis legend

This team seem to be blessed with luck. An unfortunate retirement was key to their progress to the finals, and again today the match turned on a retirement - the US number one, ranked inside 100, retiring when a set and a break up. The draw has paired us with USA (seeded 3), Brazil (seeded 7) and Uzbekistan. After the US misfortune Brazil will be favourites to win the group, as they like the USA have a strong team including a player (Natan Rodrigues) ranked in the top 100. The ITF report follows. Live scoring for tomorrow's matches will be available at https://ws1.crionetmedia.com/livescore/2018/Budapest/ Full draws etc. are available here

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Brits take advantage of American misfortune

By the end of the second rubber of Great Britains Junior Davis Cup clash with No. 3 seeds USA, the Brits had won just seven games - but, thanks in no small part to the retirement of USA No. 1 Toby Kodat, Great Britain emerged with a 2-1 victory after Felix Gill and James Pinnington-Jones held their nerve to see out a doubles triumph.

Alexander Lee had given the Americans the perfect start with a 61 61 win against Joel Pierleoni and Kodat continued the momentum, taking the first set against Gill 64. But that is where the Americans good fortune ended, with Kodat suffering a painful wrist injury and forced to retire after just three games of the second set.

Gill and Pinnington-Jones made the most of their opportunity in the doubles, a 61 75 win against Lee and Martin Damm securing the unlikeliest of victories on the opening day.

"I had quite a lot of confidence in team. I didnt feel there was that much in it, everything was quite tight," Pinnington-Jones said afterwards. "Unfortunately for them [Kodat] got injured, retired and then its back to 1-1. Its anyones game in doubles. We just came out on top today."

He was also bullish about the Brits chances of more success later this week. "I think the goal is to win it now," he added. "That was a big test to see how close we are and were easily there now. Weve proved we can take the doubles, so any singles win well be straight on it for the doubles and itll be all good."

DavidC · Tennis legend

The boys took advantage of the opportunity afforded by US misfortune to beat Uzbekistan, on paper the weakest team in the group, and qualify for the quarter-finals. They will be joined by Brazil, who beat USA 2-1, and the two play tomorrow to see who tops the group and theoretically gets the best quarter-final draw.

In today's action Jack PJ lost a hard fought 3hour plus battle, before Felix comfortably won the top singles and combined with Joel for the decisive doubles

GBR 2 Uzbekistan 1

Ibrokhimjon Urinov (UZB) d. Jack Pinnington Jones 6-7(7) 7-5 7-5
Felix Gill d. Olimjon Nabiev 6-2 6-1
Gilol/Pierleoni d. Dadabaev/Urinov 6-4 6-3

DavidC · Tennis legend

For anyone with time available you can watch the match with Brazil, with British commentary (Paul Hand ?) at ws1.crionetmedia.com/streaming/2018/JuniorDavisFed/Court1.html

Jack lost the opening match and Felix is currently on court, having just lost the first set 6-4

DavidC · Tennis legend

Despite a valiant effort Felix succumbed after 3 hours to the JWR61 meaning that Brazil topped the group as predicted. The draw has been made for the quarter-finals tomorrow and we play Spain, who won all their group matches. Their number 1 won his last tournament- a G2, but in common with a lot of Spanish players the team hasn't played many ITFs

(7) Brazil 2 GBR 0

Pedro Boscardin Dias d. jack Pinnington Jones 6-1 6-4
Natan Rodrigues d. Felix Gill 6-4 4-6 6-4

DavidC · Tennis legend

The team came close, but just missed out on a surprise semifinal. As a result we play the only other unseeded team to make the quarter-finals, Denmark, who are stronger on paper, as they include the two 2003 boys who generally got the better of Joel and jack in TE14 events last year. One of them is currently the top ranked 2003 boy in the ITF rankings (Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune)

QF

(6) Spain 2 GBR 1

Mario Gonzalez Fernandez d. Jack Pinnington Jones 6-2 7-6(5)
Pablo Llamas Ruiz lost to Felix Gill 2-6 6-0 4-6
Alcaraz Garfia / Llamas Ruiz d. Gill/Pinnington Jones 6-2 6-7(3) [10-4]

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ITF report

The Spanish got off to a strong start after Mario Gonzalez Fernandez defeated Jack Pinnington-Jones, but Felix Gill hit back for the Brits, defeating Pablo Llamas Ruiz in three sets to level the tie.

Without the injured Joel Pierleoni, Gill and Pinnington-Jones were required for doubles duty for Great Britain, while Spain brought in its No. 1 player, Carlos Alcaraz Garfia, who was rested in singles due to an abdominal injury suffered on Thursday, for the decider. And perhaps the fresh legs eventually proved the difference for the Spanish team. Alcaraz Garfia and Llamas Ruiz outlasted the Brits, eventually triumphing in the match tiebreak.

I didnt play the singles because I injured by abdominal [muscle], but I tried to play the doubles, Alcaraz Garfia explained. My partner and I, we knew we can win. We are very happy with this victory.

The result means that Spain progresses to the semifinals and will have a chance to reach the Junior Davis Cup final for the first time since 2013 when it faces Italy.

DavidC · Tennis legend

The ITF also recorded a day behind the scenes with the team (day of the Brazil match) which is well worth a look at - twitter.com/i/status/1045722806745550850

DavidC · Tennis legend

The Danes didn't play Holger in singles but still won 2-1 so we play Brazil (again) for 7th

5th-8th play-off

GBR 1 Denmark 2

Jack Pinnington Jones d. Oskar Brostrom Poulsen 6-0 7-5
Felix Gill lost to Elmer Moller 6-1 5-7 4-6
Gill/Pierleoni lost to Moller/Rune 4-6 3-6

DavidC · Tennis legend

The team had to settle (narrowly) for 8th, which is still higher than expected, and with 2 players in the team still eligible next year they could be serious challengers. The Spanish number 1 returned to playing singles, and played a crucial role in Spain's final victory over France. The USA, with Coco Gauff and Alexa Noel, won the Junior Fed Cup (11-9 in the doubles match tiebreak vs Ukraine)

7th-8th place play-off

GBR 1 Brazil 2

Jack Pinnington Jones d. Bruno Oliviera 6-1 7-5
Felix Gill lost to Natan Rodrigues 0-6 4-6
Gill/Pinnington Jones lost to Oliviera/Rodrigues 3-6 7-6(1) [8-10]