indiana wrote:

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Perhaps Simona would prefer playing for her country in front of a home crowd or even the challenge of facing an away crowd.

Good luck with the 23,000.

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I see that I got that right re Simona.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/48780847

And BJK on the face of it just doesn't understand the feelings Simona expresses, largely in line with that err Fed cup home and away Fed heritage and what that means to her. 

Says BJK : "First of all you have to think beyond yourself."

Before essentially, as ROSAMUND pointed to, asking her to think about herself and playing in front of 23,000 in Hungary. Oh and think about the sport, for BJK doesn't think that there's any question that the new forrnat will be potentially better. Hmm, don't think, not any question and potentially all seem a bit mixed. Maybe aye, maybe nae. 

Someone is a bit muddled and it isn't Simona, whether or not she should still play the new format. 

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 27th of June 2019 06:45:40 PM

I guess the same comments pertain on Fed Cup as I would make on Davis Cup. The essence is home OR away and losing that is a shame. Also. katie B really threatened her career with a massive effort which turns out to be of no value, although it excited us at the time, and that is to be frowned on.

However - i think the one venue location structure may well work for the Fed Cup although doubtful that Budapest on clay is the right call and dont expect 2,300 let alone 23,000 to turn up to watch!

First up just wanted to say hello to all on this forum/message board. Really glad to have stumbled across it with so many very well informed posters.

I have a few questions re the new format and I'm sure that someone on here will be able to answer them.

1 In February there is going to be a qualifying tie using the same format as the match Vs Kazakhstan. Will this tie be drawn in the same way as before, and so preserving some of the home/away format?

2 What happens if you lose this match? Do we end up back in a play down/play off?

3 Once the actual finals are played out have we any idea how many of the teams automatically qualify for the competiton next year and how many have to qualify once more?

Personally I don't know how I feel about the changes. Whilst I can see some negatives I think long term the game may also benefit. It seems to me that two overiding factors are at play, money and potential TV coverage deals. The two obviously go hand in hand and it is far easier to sell TV deals around the world for a big one-off event than it is for mutliple smaller events featuring only 2 nations.
I'm assuming here that the terrible deal with Amazon for coverage of women's tennis next year has not been extended to this competition. Does anyone know?

The apparent non consultation with players is a concern. If players become disinterested in playing then the competion will soon lose its relevance and become an event about which noone cares.

Probably should have a seperate thread for the discussion that will follow on from this.

The Czech Republic have been given a WIld Card into the 2020 finals, which means that Great Britain will now be seeded for the Qualifying in February.
Netherlands are promoted into the qualfying.

So GB will face one of the following: -
Latvia
Canada
Japan
Slovakia
Russia
Kazakhstan
Brazil
Netherlands

Draw to be made on Wednesday 21st August in London at 1pm

Brazil at home please!

IF every nation was at full strength (as in terms of players making themselves available, rather than clicking a finger and players with injury doubts return to full fitness), then Brazil would probably be the only nation where we'd start as favourites:


Latvia - Sevastova and Ostapenko have had pretty poor seasons by their standards, Ostapenko is well down in race and ranking, and Sevastova is fairing poorly at the big events and outside the top 20 in the Race, but you'd still generally favour them.

Canada - Andreescu would obviously be a thorn and they have Dabrowski in the dubs, and could probably rustle a 2nd singles player out of Bouchard, Fernandez, Abanda/Sebov at a push.

Japan - Osaka and strong doubles tradition. Their second tier players like Nara, Hibi, Doi probably collectively as good as ours - although I guess we'll get somewhat of a preview tonight.

Slovakia - probably be my 2nd pick to face. Kuzmova seems to have stalled a bit, Cibulkova possibly on the verge of retiring, then after that it's not great - Magda R etc., but it won't be on grass.

Russia - Not as strong as they have been, but they could pick any of 10 or so top 100 players who were particularly in form at the time.

Kazakhstan - We obviously beat them, and no top top player, but they do have a young, improving recent WTA winner in Rybakina to call upon now, whereas there could be ? over how Katie B is (who would be essential for our chances). Away, and they'd certainly be favourites - which I'm sure it would be if we played them?

Brazil - away on clay wouldn't be great, but, even with BHM involved (which is surely a doubt), you'd hope we'd have enough wherever it was.

Netherlands - Bertens as the top player, then after that it's similar to us with a bunch of 100-200 players.


Think it is fair to say GB would be the team those unseeded 8 would like to pick, which I suppose is to be expected having just sneaked into the top seedings.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Wednesday 14th of August 2019 02:59:46 PM