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Post Info TOPIC: Week 47/48 - Davis Cup Finals - Madrid (Spain), Innsbruck (Austria), and Turin (Italy) (indoor hard)


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Week 47/48 - Davis Cup Finals - Madrid (Spain), Innsbruck (Austria), and Turin (Italy) (indoor hard)


Russia win and so we have

Russia v Sweden
Britain v Germany
Italy v Croatia
Serbia v Kazakhstan

Right now Russia look the best team definitely , v strong in all spots. Cant see Sweden pushing them really so hopefully we will get to see Britain play them on Friday if we can get past Germany.

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I used to be such a huge DC fan, I still vividly remember the dark days and screaming at the TV as Italy beat us while acting up as Dowdeswell and co struggled. I can't get into this much at all.

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It is going to be very interesting now to see how this format works with the SF and Final in Madrid but with no Spain, who were knocked out last night. Will there be a full stadium for this event ? I very much doubt it.

I can foresee that either the organisers or the national associations (or both) are suddenly going to have to start giving away free tickets to gets the fans in, much like the LTA did 2 years ago.

This will only get worse, IMO opinion when the finals are moved to Abu Dhabi. The may fill the stadium with "corporates" but the true fans who, for me at least, made the DC what it was, are likely to miss out.

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DelayedReaction wrote:

I used to be such a huge DC fan, I still vividly remember the dark days and screaming at the TV as Italy beat us while acting up as Dowdeswell and co struggled. I can't get into this much at all.


I'll second that, hence my lack of posts on this thread.  And who can ever forget Ghent in November 2015?

Abu Dhabi is the death knell to all that, the downward spiral beginning wth the change of format, all in pursuit of Mammon. 



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Oh, I've posted because I have some interest in these not the Davis Cup matches. Big tennis matches involving Brits.

But oh for the former days of being gripped by the Davis Cup. We're at the QF stage here and it's for me far too much - meh.

I heard Leon Smith seemingly very unenthusiastic by the Abu Dhabi prospect in saying that the Davis Cup should be so much more than about money and that that was certainly the case for the GB players.



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I think there are a number of issues with the current format, 18 teams doesnt work (and hence the silly 6 plus best 2 format, which is more about maths than tennis), Abu Dhabi certainly wont work and it will be interesting to see what happens now Spain and Austria are both gone - although in AUstria, no fans where coming in anyway.

I actually dont mind the World Cup of Tennis approach - a DC and ATP Cup still makes no sense and I would personally make it a 16 team event spead over a 10 day period, perhaps with a 5 set final. I know we would all like to see the home and away ties of old, but I think that horse has sadly bolted and I dont think it will come back, at least for the finals. But they could make the Finals better and certainly shouldnt go down the Abu Dhabi route

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Based on how the rest of the groups played out GB did need that doubles win vs the Czechs to reach the QF

They would otherwise have had worse 2nd place records than Sweden and Serbia, and indeed Spain.

But yes, I do hope that one thing that does get changed is having a format that involves best RUs, especially in groups of 3 which are bound to lead to equal ties won among all six 2nd place teams. It was fortunate here that at least all six groups finished 2/1/0 rather than some being 1/1/1. Tennis should be about winning and losing, winning the last point, not be about how much you win or lose by, and should also try to present a clear and easy to follow format. I like my maths and stats but hate employing them for this avoidable nonsense.

It's not difficult to arrive at a qualification process that produces finals of say 8 or 16 teams to then be split into groups of 4.



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I wondered how much the court speed and surface varied between Innsbruck and Madrid and Turin. Madrid is always quite quick as it is at altitude, Turin played quickly for the Tour FInals and I presume this is the same court surface for the DC events? And Innsbruck is also in the Mountains of course, so presumably playing quickly as well , the Czech team certainly took advantage of that...

Or have I got that all wrong?



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Big upset in todays DC first rubber, Gojo of Croatia (ranked 279) beat hometown Sonego in 3 sets (Sonego ranked top 30).

With Mektic and Pavic to come in doubles , Croatia probably favourites now for this

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And CIlic is leading Sinner, 5-3 with a break. This could end up with a big surprise - GB wont worry about that although Serbia could be the big winners from that!

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Is this our Bob ?

From the Daily Mail comments thread

Euro Bob, Alicante, Spain, about 8 hours ago
With Spain being knocked out, the turn out at the QF, SF and Final stage in Madrid will be very interesting. 2 years ago, the LTA had to hand out free tickets to get GB fans to attend. I can see something similar happening this year. This new DC format may be good for the tournament sponsors and organisers, but it is a nightmare for the fans.


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Sinner clawed his way back into level against Cilic and break early in the third. Italy being pushed to the edge here

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Euro Bob has it right, the Cosmos operation is going bust in slow motion. If they default on payments, will the ITF let them reduce payments since they are Implicit?

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Euro Bob. I like it ! Another incarnation.

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Sinner gets the win, and it's down to him and Fognini to battle it out with Mektic and his mate for the tie.

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