Week 37 - 2023 Davis Cup Finals, Group Stage - (Indoor Hard)

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

RE: Week 37 - Davis Cup Finals, Group Stage - (Indoor Hard)

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

JonH comes home wrote:
Assuming whoever we put up loses to Novak, and assuming we want Dan and Neal in doubles, then our players have to be (on assumption second strings open?)

# 2 - Dan or Jack to start v Serbia number 2 (Dejer or Kecmanovic?)

# 1 - Got to go with Cam versus Novak - no real option (can't be Andy, otherwise we can only select Jack in the other singles? Can't be Dan as he would be straight back for doubles; can't be Jack as he is our lowest ranked player) Aim to keep him out there as long as possible. I guess if we go with Jack, Andy might be an option given his speciality is making anyone he plays go for three hours but against Novak, I dont see that happening)

Doubles - Neal and Dan versus Djoko and partner

Should Leon select Dan or Jack to open seems to be the only question to ponder?

Yeah Djokovic is a problem. Evans is the only player we could field who would have an outside chance. I could see Evans managing it in the DC but he can't play second rubber and potentially dubs in the third on those odds. I'm temped to go with Draper in the first rubber if his form remains consistent. It's a must win and Norrie can have a free swing with the objective of 3sets. Hope for better this evening. Good to see Murray close out against WR56 Hanfman earlier, he was moving as well as I'd seen him recently. If he can put away players of this sort of rank I guess he goes ahead of Salisbury but its a close call. Jamie Murray needs to organise a Home Nations dubs tourni over Xmas period, 5sets so Salisbury and Skupski can knock off the rust one last time, seems a shame it didn't work out, no idea why not when you look at their regular partners..

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Smudge226 wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Assuming whoever we put up loses to Novak, and assuming we want Dan and Neal in doubles, then our players have to be (on assumption second strings open?)

# 2 - Dan or Jack to start v Serbia number 2 (Dejer or Kecmanovic?)

# 1 - Got to go with Cam versus Novak - no real option (can't be Andy, otherwise we can only select Jack in the other singles? Can't be Dan as he would be straight back for doubles; can't be Jack as he is our lowest ranked player) Aim to keep him out there as long as possible. I guess if we go with Jack, Andy might be an option given his speciality is making anyone he plays go for three hours but against Novak, I dont see that happening)

Doubles - Neal and Dan versus Djoko and partner

Should Leon select Dan or Jack to open seems to be the only question to ponder?
Yeah Djokovic is a problem. Evans is the only player we could field who would have an outside chance. I could see Evans managing it in the DC but he can't play second rubber and potentially dubs in the third on those odds. I'm temped to go with Draper in the first rubber if his form remains consistent. It's a must win and Norrie can have a free swing with the objective of 3sets. Hope for better this evening. Good to see Murray close out against WR56 Hanfman earlier, he was moving as well as I'd seen him recently. If he can put away players of this sort of rank I guess he goes ahead of Salisbury but its a close call. Jamie Murray needs to organise a Home Nations dubs tourni over Xmas period, 5sets so Salisbury and Skupski can knock off the rust one last time, seems a shame it didn't work out, no idea why not when you look at their regular partners..

Joe isnt picked though so not going to happen this time around, and not sure Andy is going to do anything more than be hitting partner.

in balance , Id be tempted to go Jack and Cam in singles, Neal and Dan in doubles in this first tie - that second string singles is must win for sure!

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

No change to the team for the Malaga Finals

Lexus GB Davis Cup team

Cam Norrie (world No.18)
Dan Evans (world No.34)
Andy Murray (world No.39)
Jack Draper (world No.88)
Neal Skupski (Doubles world No.4)
We are going with the same five-man team as Manchester, said Smith. The guys did such a great job that week and we will go to Malaga with confidence and belief that we can be successful.

The quarter final versus Serbia will of course be a big challenge with a team led by world No.1 Novak Djokovic but we have to believe we can win.

Great Britain are set to face Serbia in the quarter-final match in Malaga on Thursday 23 November at 16:00 CET, with the winning team going on to face the winner of Italy vs Netherlands in the semi-final.

wolf · Tennis legend

For me Jack is our best player. If he is fit he should play.

Not sure Djokovic is guaranteed to play the doubles. In the group stage they won the two without him and lost the one with him.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

All the teams

Canada
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Gabriel Diallo
Alexis Galarneau
Vasek Pospisil
Milos Raonic
Captain: Frank Dancevic

Finland
Emil Ruusuvuori
Otto Virtanen
Patrick Kaukovalta
Harri Heliovaara
Patrik Niklas-Salminen
Captain: Jarkko Nieminen

Czech Republic
Jiri Lehecka
Tomas Machac
Jakub Mensik
Adam Pavlasek
Captain: Jaroslav Navratil

Australia
Alex de Minaur
Max Purcell
Jordan Thompson
Thanasi Kokkinakis
Matthew Ebden
Captain: Lleyton Hewitt

Italy
Jannik Sinner
Lorenzo Musetti
Matteo Arnaldi
Lorenzo Sonego
Simone Bolelli
Captain: Filippo Volandri

Netherlands
Tallon Griekspoor
Botic van de Zandschulp
Gijs Brouwer
Wesley Koolhof
Captain: Paul Haarhuis

Serbia
Novak Djokovic
Laslo Djere
Dusan Lajovic
Miomir Kecmanovic
Hamad Medjedovic
Captain: Viktor Troicki

Great Britain
Cameron Norrie
Daniel Evans
Andy Murray
Jack Draper
Neal Skupski
Captain: Leon Smith

We could win this but Im going to forecast Czech Rep v Italy final and an Italian win.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Semis for Britain

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

JonH comes home wrote:
Semis for Britain

All bets are off this morning after the Evans injury but an opportunity for Salisbury it must be now. The problem is that these finals are knockout tennis so if dubs are called upon there is no second chances.

Smith will be happy with the other singles. Not much alternative choice, hope they all stay fit now.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Smudge226 wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Semis for Britain
All bets are off this morning after the Evans injury but an opportunity for Salisbury it must be now. The problem is that these finals are knockout tennis so if dubs are called upon there is no second chances.
Smith will be happy with the other singles. Not much alternative choice, hope they all stay fit now.

yeh, the conversation seems dated now. Gosh. Joe for sure would seem the logical choice with the three singles players all strong enough. As you say no leeway.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Per Jose Morgado - last sentence , you aint wrong , Jose !

x.com/josemorgado/status/1717256849299296366

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/67252191

Precautionary for Cam

the addict · Tennis legend

Dan is now officially out of the team after his injury.

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

www.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/12994053/leon-smiths-davis-cup-finals-options-after-dan-evans-picks-up-calf-injury-playing-in-vienna

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

Great Britain's BJK Cup and Davis Cup ties to be shown on BBC Sport - www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/67293445

Madadman · Masters Series Champion

Assuming we go with at least 3 singles players. Who would take if you wanted a 4th or one of the current free becomes unavailable? Liam or dare I say the bloke in form Billy?