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

indiana · Tennis legend

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

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Much as I preferred the old home and away format, generally, it wasnt perfect (home team bias in results, with surface choice etc) but it was fun.

However, I do like this week compared to the run of the mill week in week out tour events, and it is at least meaningful (ie it is still the World Cup of tennis) compared to the meaningless Hopman Cup in June and the United Cup as well, and the old ATP Cup.

I guess we will never go back to what it was, unless they lose this stage for one off home and away matches and retain a finals week at year end as some sort of future compromise.

The first finals in Madrid a couple of years back had some real bite about them, despite the crowd issues when Spain werent playing , and despite the silly finishing times at 3 am and the like. Malaga as a venue doesnt feel like it will provide much atmosphere for the finals, and if Spain dont get there (and they started this week with a loss so are in danger of falling) that will not be good for the event or the crowds .
And whyever not at least have 8 atmospheric home and away ties ( 4 singles, 1 doubles ) in this week rather than these 4 groups nonsense ??

Agreed, that would make sense to me!

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

JonH comes home wrote:
indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Much as I preferred the old home and away format, generally, it wasnt perfect (home team bias in results, with surface choice etc) but it was fun.

However, I do like this week compared to the run of the mill week in week out tour events, and it is at least meaningful (ie it is still the World Cup of tennis) compared to the meaningless Hopman Cup in June and the United Cup as well, and the old ATP Cup.

I guess we will never go back to what it was, unless they lose this stage for one off home and away matches and retain a finals week at year end as some sort of future compromise.

The first finals in Madrid a couple of years back had some real bite about them, despite the crowd issues when Spain werent playing , and despite the silly finishing times at 3 am and the like. Malaga as a venue doesnt feel like it will provide much atmosphere for the finals, and if Spain dont get there (and they started this week with a loss so are in danger of falling) that will not be good for the event or the crowds .
And whyever not at least have 8 atmospheric home and away ties ( 4 singles, 1 doubles ) in this week rather than these 4 groups nonsense ??
Agreed, that would make sense to me!

Absolutely. A small part of me wants Spain to fail and the finals flop for attendance, only so it forces the issue to a head.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Much as I preferred the old home and away format, generally, it wasnt perfect (home team bias in results, with surface choice etc) but it was fun.

However, I do like this week compared to the run of the mill week in week out tour events, and it is at least meaningful (ie it is still the World Cup of tennis) compared to the meaningless Hopman Cup in June and the United Cup as well, and the old ATP Cup.

I guess we will never go back to what it was, unless they lose this stage for one off home and away matches and retain a finals week at year end as some sort of future compromise.

The first finals in Madrid a couple of years back had some real bite about them, despite the crowd issues when Spain werent playing , and despite the silly finishing times at 3 am and the like. Malaga as a venue doesnt feel like it will provide much atmosphere for the finals, and if Spain dont get there (and they started this week with a loss so are in danger of falling) that will not be good for the event or the crowds .
And whyever not at least have 8 atmospheric home and away ties ( 4 singles, 1 doubles ) in this week rather than these 4 groups nonsense ??

You mean move countries in one week? And surfaces?
The home ties appeal, and I guess going back to the old system on deciding where to play ie take it in turns over the years.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Helen40 wrote:
indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Much as I preferred the old home and away format, generally, it wasnt perfect (home team bias in results, with surface choice etc) but it was fun.

However, I do like this week compared to the run of the mill week in week out tour events, and it is at least meaningful (ie it is still the World Cup of tennis) compared to the meaningless Hopman Cup in June and the United Cup as well, and the old ATP Cup.

I guess we will never go back to what it was, unless they lose this stage for one off home and away matches and retain a finals week at year end as some sort of future compromise.

The first finals in Madrid a couple of years back had some real bite about them, despite the crowd issues when Spain werent playing , and despite the silly finishing times at 3 am and the like. Malaga as a venue doesnt feel like it will provide much atmosphere for the finals, and if Spain dont get there (and they started this week with a loss so are in danger of falling) that will not be good for the event or the crowds .
And whyever not at least have 8 atmospheric home and away ties ( 4 singles, 1 doubles ) in this week rather than these 4 groups nonsense ??
You mean move countries in one week? And surfaces?
The home ties appeal, and I guess going back to the old system on deciding where to play ie take it in turns over the years.

I think Indy and I were both saying why not replace this 16 team stage with 4 groups as per this week with 8 ties / matches in the old format of home and away and the 8 winners get to go to the finals stage later in the year. If they are committed to having the finals stage, that is. I think part of the driver here was less weeks being used in the year for Davis cup play, and replacing this weeks groups with the old home and away format would work fine as it is just replacing one week with another

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Although the team lost to NL, Krajicek and Ram are proving a decent doubles pairing, beating Dodig and Pavic and Koolhof and Middelkoop this week. Good to see Raj in partic getting back to form with the US Open win and now this - hopefully bodes well for him and Joe for rest of the season!

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

All change in the singles as Andy does come in, and also Cam

FINALS, QUALIFYING GROUP B, GROUP B, ROUND ROBIN
Date: 15 Sep - 15 Sep 2023 Venue: AO Arena, Manchester Surface: Hard, Indoor
MATCH 1
Andy MURRAY
Leandro RIEDI
MATCH 2
Cameron NORRIE
Stan WAWRINKA
MATCH 3
Daniel EVANS
Neal SKUPSKI
Marc-Andrea HUESLER
Dominic STRICKER

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

I would hope Andy will win, Cam may find Stan a tough cookie, and the doubles we have to hope we can get. 2-1 to GB?

indiana · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
Helen40 wrote:
indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Much as I preferred the old home and away format, generally, it wasnt perfect (home team bias in results, with surface choice etc) but it was fun.

However, I do like this week compared to the run of the mill week in week out tour events, and it is at least meaningful (ie it is still the World Cup of tennis) compared to the meaningless Hopman Cup in June and the United Cup as well, and the old ATP Cup.

I guess we will never go back to what it was, unless they lose this stage for one off home and away matches and retain a finals week at year end as some sort of future compromise.

The first finals in Madrid a couple of years back had some real bite about them, despite the crowd issues when Spain werent playing , and despite the silly finishing times at 3 am and the like. Malaga as a venue doesnt feel like it will provide much atmosphere for the finals, and if Spain dont get there (and they started this week with a loss so are in danger of falling) that will not be good for the event or the crowds .
And whyever not at least have 8 atmospheric home and away ties ( 4 singles, 1 doubles ) in this week rather than these 4 groups nonsense ??
You mean move countries in one week? And surfaces?
The home ties appeal, and I guess going back to the old system on deciding where to play ie take it in turns over the years.
I think Indy and I were both saying why not replace this 16 team stage with 4 groups as per this week with 8 ties / matches in the old format of home and away and the 8 winners get to go to the finals stage later in the year. If they are committed to having the finals stage, that is. I think part of the driver here was less weeks being used in the year for Davis cup play, and replacing this weeks groups with the old home and away format would work fine as it is just replacing one week with another

Precisely, Jon.

indiana · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
I would hope Andy will win, Cam may find Stan a tough cookie, and the doubles we have to hope we can get. 2-1 to GB?

As I indicated, as a possible backup in case we lose to France we could do with a comprehensive win vs Switzerland. And 2-1 would not cut the mustard for any possible later tiebreak vs France and Australia. Sets and games could also matter in the end. A 2-1 win might effectively be no more help than a loss.

So I would have been picking the strongest available team vs Switzerland with a strong 3-0 win as the aim. Was Jack available and fit to go?

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
I would hope Andy will win, Cam may find Stan a tough cookie, and the doubles we have to hope we can get. 2-1 to GB?
As I indicated, as a possible backup in case we lose to France we could do with a comprehensive win vs Switzerland. And 2-1 would not cut the mustard for any possible later tiebreak vs France and Australia. Sets and games could also matter in the end. A 2-1 win might effectively be no more help than a loss.
So I would have been picking the strongest available team vs Switzerland with a strong 3-0 win as the aim. Was Jack available and fit to go?

Presumably Leon felt he was picking our best team for the match and will have those scenarios in mind. Andy making hard work so far though - in a first set tie break.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Helen40 wrote:
indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Much as I preferred the old home and away format, generally, it wasnt perfect (home team bias in results, with surface choice etc) but it was fun.

However, I do like this week compared to the run of the mill week in week out tour events, and it is at least meaningful (ie it is still the World Cup of tennis) compared to the meaningless Hopman Cup in June and the United Cup as well, and the old ATP Cup.

I guess we will never go back to what it was, unless they lose this stage for one off home and away matches and retain a finals week at year end as some sort of future compromise.

The first finals in Madrid a couple of years back had some real bite about them, despite the crowd issues when Spain werent playing , and despite the silly finishing times at 3 am and the like. Malaga as a venue doesnt feel like it will provide much atmosphere for the finals, and if Spain dont get there (and they started this week with a loss so are in danger of falling) that will not be good for the event or the crowds .
And whyever not at least have 8 atmospheric home and away ties ( 4 singles, 1 doubles ) in this week rather than these 4 groups nonsense ??
You mean move countries in one week? And surfaces?
The home ties appeal, and I guess going back to the old system on deciding where to play ie take it in turns over the years.
I think Indy and I were both saying why not replace this 16 team stage with 4 groups as per this week with 8 ties / matches in the old format of home and away and the 8 winners get to go to the finals stage later in the year. If they are committed to having the finals stage, that is. I think part of the driver here was less weeks being used in the year for Davis cup play, and replacing this weeks groups with the old home and away format would work fine as it is just replacing one week with another
Precisely, Jon.

I'm with you. Just wanted to clarify. I totally agree. Hopefully next year..

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

After a great start (3-0, then 5-2), Andy eventually drops the first set by 6-7(7). cry

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

Stircrazy wrote:
After a great start (3-0, then 5-2), Andy eventually drops the first set by 6-7(7).

One hour and 23 minutes that set. No way Murray can last another two of these.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

As per Indy- not confident Leon has made the right call here, feels very uncomfortable situation right now.

I guess if we lose, at least there is no maths involved - will be a straight fight between us and France in one tie and Aussies and Swiss tomorrow in the other.