Fourth spot is still a tough ask.

If we lose 3-2 then we would be at 9-6. Greece v Croatia would have to go 4-1 either way for us to be level with them and go to countback (currently both are 8-2).

Swan v Keys was some match. Wow!

Strange first set. Errors from Keys handed Swan a break to love to start the match then Katie held after a long service game packed full of dfs, Madison wasting two bp 2nd serve opportunities with wild returns. Katie took advantage of four missed first serves to break to love for *3-0. Then Madison broke back, held and seemed about to cruise at 15-40 in the next Swan service game. Keys had a chance on one bp, a good first serve saved the other. A brilliant return game from Swan to go *5-2 up. Three first serves from Keys were met by aggressive returns, producing one forced error, the chance to strike an aggressive forehand that Madison couldn't deal with and a clean return winner for 0-40. She saved one bp only for Katie to dominate another rally after a first serve, firing a forehand winner crosscourt for the break. Then a comfortable hold for 6-2, finishing with a forehand down the line winner after a good first serve.

Katie unwell. MTO. Poor start to the 2nd set from her 0-3*. Then forced bp in two return games only for Madison to play stunning tennis to save them. Katie with an awful return miles long off an inviting short 2nd serve at 40-40 in one of those Keys service games. 

Katie had bp chances at 2-1* in the 3rd set. Could have attacked the net after a 2nd serve return but chose to stay back, Madison soon took control and won that point. Perhaps unwisely offered Keys the chance to strike a running forehand down the line on the next bp, brilliant shot from Madison. Katie forced another 2 bps but Keys saved them with an ace and a huge forehand after a big first serve. Twice Swan produced super backhands, one crosscourt, the next down the line, to get back to 40-40 but Keys was landing her first serve and hitting huge groundstrokes, allowing her to hold for 2-2. The standard of tennis fluctuated a lot but some of it was sensational; not just from Madison.

Swan then broken after a disappointing game but kept being aggressive to earn bp in Keys' next service game and was gifted a df. Held for 4-3* Easy hold for Keys 4-4.

Down bp at 4-4 Katie produced a good wide serve only to miss an easy forehand into the open space. Keys closed out the match 4-6.

Umpire required to leave her chair and use her towel to remove the damp patches where the sweat had dripped off Katie onto the court.

I really didn't expect Katie to be competitive against Madison unless Keys was having a shocking match. Instead the match came down to an astonishing backhand down the line winner from a defensive position to save bp in the 2nd set from Madison and a poor forehand error wide from Katie in the 3rd set that cost her the crucial break at 4-4.

-- Edited by kundalini on Wednesday 4th of January 2023 06:13:35 AM

Well done both and great to see Cam getting the singles win we
Needed.

Down to Harriet and Dan now to get one more and see
Where the mixed takes us.

A problem with this format is that if a team in this play off round secured victory before the mixed, the mixed has no interest to them. They progress whatever happens. Whereas for the losing team, a lot could still ride on it. The count back method for the three losers could be heavily impacted by that , in theory at least.

That said, good chance that the other two ties will go to a deciding mixed given the singles players involved still. Possibly all 3 matches could end in deciding mixed matches, with calculators to the fore in the background.

JonH comes home wrote:

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I believe Cams win today moves him to 12th in live ranks above Zverev, might be wrong

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Not sure if this is actually good for him. As a 9-12 seed at the AO he will be seeded to play Djokovic, Rublev, FAA or Medvedev in the last 16. As a 13-16 seed he will face Alcaraz, Nadal, Ruud, Tsitsipas.

Harriet beaten easily it seems . Dan though has an early break and leads 4-2. Come on Evo!