Davis Cup Fri Jan 31/Feb 1 and 2

First topic message reminder :

Fabulous match in world group between Kazakhstan and visitors Belgium. It went to a final set which Golubev finally took 12-10 to give K a 2-0 lead in the tie. Goffin had numerous MPs (at least five) on the Golubev serve in that final set but G held on and finally got the break at 11-10. Goffin then saved four MPs before G eventually got the match after more than four and a half hours.
  Fed - a last-minute entry for Switzerland - had a tussle with Serbia's Ilija Bozoljac (no, I'd not heard of him either) before winning 6-4, 7-5, 6-2. The Serb, serving plenty of aces, broke Fed early in the second and Rog was 2-5 down facing set point. But he then took seven games in a row and eased through in the end.
   Have said before the DC should not be played every year but there is no doubt the players who choose to play in it really give their all. Doubt the Kazakh crowd considered it was a pointless tournament when their man finally pulled through today.

Nore Staat wrote:Ward played brilliantly.  He deserved that - a feather in his career cap.  Wish he could do that on the main tour - but well done Ward.  Well done Leon Smith, Well done Murray - I am sure he gave him some advice.

Ward's improvement on return happened shortly after Murray arrived courtside to watch him. Coincidence? I think not   is on-court coaching by other team members allowed?

Big well done to James Ward. Great effort to stick in while behind and then close it out once he got ahead.

You have to feel sorry for Courier. He's saddled with two players with a severe attitude problem. It must be despairing for him, as his game was always about fighting to the last and they simply didn't do it

Young in particular looked like some kind of US X-Factor contestant, just informed by Simon Cowell how terrible his singing was

I'm obviously pleased with today, but it is amazing just how low the mens game is in the USA

Great stuff from ward last night - took him quite some time to make any inroads into Querry's serve (no BPs until the 4th set), but once he was getting decent quality returns in he showed up the limitations in Querry's game.

Can't see Querry beating Murray, given that Andy will play much the same way as Ward but is simply much better at it. Ward v Young could be interesting as well if it is still a live rubber.

Two questions:

1 - Why is Ward able to produce these performances against very decent players in DC but struggles to advance up the rankings in his day-to-day career?

2 - Do we play Murray in the doubles and look to win the tie tomorrow, or just give him a rest and admit the Bryan's are very likely winners.

Fab win by Ward and now GB poised to win first match in world group for simply ages. Leon Smith will, I guess, save Murray for the singles as the Bryans must be favourites for the doubles.
   Didn't realise that apart from losing to Stan when a teenager in 2005, Andy M has won ALL his DC singles.
   As for playing on clay, the Americans seem to have followed Switzerland whose strange decision to go for clay rebounded spectacularly when they lost to....America. 

Great wins for Team GB. Ward turned into a new man half way through that fourth set.

As for why he produced that level, I think he may be the type of guy whose game suits five over three set matches. He can look really mechanical and stilted until he gets dialed in, and five sets gives him a greater chance of getting to that place.

Given that Murray is not that long back from surgery, I think it would be prudent to rest up Murray and Ward for the reverse singles. Querrey & Young will be rested too.

Murray's performance was professional and polished; Ward's performance was gutsy and determined. A quite incredible comeback from Ward - 8 games in a row at one point, I believe?

Rest Murray for the doubles I say. We can play that game under no pressure and no fear. Murray is sure to beat Querrey on Sunday, and that's all Britain needs for victory.

Both Evans and Ward looked lost at Davis Cup level until Leon Smith was appointed captain. Since then their fighting displays have been incredible, usually against much higher ranked opponents. He is obviously a terrific man motivator. Inspired decision to appoint him to the role.

Not wishing to count my chickens and all that but out of interest when was the last time GB reached the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup?

CaledonianCraig wrote:Not wishing to count my chickens and all that but out of interest when was the last time GB reached the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup?

I think they said on commentary that Britain hadn't won a world group match since the mid '80s.

GB reached the DC final in 78 when Buster Mottram and John Lloyd were the singles guys and David Lloyd and Mark Cox played the doubles.
  They beat Australia in the s-final in London before losing the USA in Palm Springs, California.
   The closest GB has come to beating the USA in the DC since the 1930s was at Birmingham in 1999 when Jim Courier beat Rusedski in five in the final match after GB had come from 2-0 down to take it to the wire. I'm sure many posters will recall just how thrilling that weekend was.

sirfredperry wrote:GB reached the DC final in 78 when Buster Mottram and John Lloyd were the singles guys and David Lloyd and Mark Cox played the doubles.
  They beat Australia in the s-final in London before losing the USA in Palm Springs, California.
   The closest GB has come to beating the USA in the DC since the 1930s was at Birmingham in 1999 when Jim Courier beat Rusedski in five in the final match after GB had come from 2-0 down to take it to the wire. I'm sure many posters will recall just how thrilling that weekend was.

I was there on the Sunday. Unbelievable atmosphere, and when Henman won to tie it up, I'd never heard anything like it. Then the Rusedski 5-setter - nerve-shredding til the very end, then he suddenly lost his serve at 6-5 down I think, and it was all over.

Krajinovic's lack of experience may let SUI win the Doubles rubber even though he has played some pretty good shots and serves.

Shirt Ripping 101 - http://tinyurl.com/mx4ajrq

Wardy!!!! A big game player if ever I saw one. What a win for the man and what a choice from Leon Smith. He went with Ward over Evans and it worked perfectly. It looks like Murray's playing the doubles tonight so if team Flurray can beat the Bryans (who might be a bit wobbly after their disastrous AO) then I can see young Edmund getting a run out on Sunday.

So Germany, France and Switzerland all thru to the next round of the DC. Holders the Czech Republic pull off what could be a crucial doubles win to go 2-1 up against Holland. Japan and Kazkhastan also 2-1 up.

The rumour is that Murray won't be playing tonight but we'll know for certain at 7.

Team Ingling (or Flemot) it is then.

Inglot's having a bit of a mare, isn't he?

Great stuff from Ward last night, what the Davis Cup is all about. Great tournament, love the unheralded guys getting their moment in the sun. Hope they never change the format.

Bryan Bros looking as good as Murray was yesterday. Inglot doing a good impression of Donald Young...

US cruising at 2 sets up. Despite his good season, I wouldn't have picked Inglot. Would you rather pick your two best doubles specialists or a proven team (i.e. I would have picked Marray instead of Inglot)?

GB will serve for the 3rd if they don't break here.

Good set there.. Bryan have never won a 5 set match in the DC!

And after this match they still won't. Inglot's had.... a bit of a mare. Fleming's not had the greatest match ever.

If GB win does this mean they stay in the world group for another year?

Nore Staat wrote:If GB win does this mean they stay in the world group for another year?

Yes, if Murray wins today GB will be in the world group in 2015 whatever happens in their next tie which will be a q-final against either Italy or Argentina.
   If GB should lose today, they will have to play a "relegation" match in September to decide if they stay in the world group.
   Lots of pressure on Murray today, but it would be a big surprise if he doesn't pull through. His DC record is excellent and nothing is ever going to be as pressured for him as trying to serve out for Wimbledon last summer.

Winners play Italy away in April...

First game, Murray breaks.

The American crowd are making a terrific amount of noise. I love to hear a partisan home crowd. Querrey breaks back, 3-3.

But Murray breaks back immediately! 4-3.

Murray chucks in a dire service game when serving for the set and Querrey levels at 5-5 by swatting a second serve back cross court. Can he hold?

He can! Murray has to hold to take it to a TB.

A shoogly hold for Murray and we have a TB!!

Querrey's opening his shoulders. 4-2 in the TB.

Murray takes the TB!! Querrey makes a complete hash of an easy volley and dumps it into the net from less than 2m away to hand GB the set. That could be a really big blow.

The crowd have quietened slightly. On serve in the 2nd, 2-1.

If this was on a fast hard court, Querrey's big serve-big forehand would be causing Murray all sorts of problems. However, it is not on a fast hard court. I still can't believe what a stupid mistake the Americans have made with this tie.

Murray saves a break point with an ace to hold for 4-3 in the 2nd. Querrey's playing pretty well tonight whereas Murray's only playing near his best when it counts. He's at about 85% for the majority of the match.

Querrey serving to take us into a 2nd set TB.

Murray's had 3 high balls all match and has metaphorically (I hope) soiled himself every time. That tactic should be tried against him more often. There's a lot of success to be had there.

Querrey's return of Murray's 2nd serve has been absolutely vicious at times. He has the mini break and leads 3-2.

A terrific TB from Querrey. Some really heavy hitting and a few solid slices have really made Murray's game look obsolete. 7-3 and we're a set all.

Here we go, Murray breaks to open the 3rd.

Early break for Murray, good response.

Another break! This one was set up with a delicious BH DTL from Murray. *3-0.

Murray takes the 3rd 6-1 with a professional performance. Barring the TB, it's been a solid match from Murray with several showstoppers thrown in too.

An excellent hold from Murray from 15-40 down in the first game of the 4th.

The crowd are still making a lot of noise for the home team which is nice. The Americans normally give up when it's not going their way...