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Davis Cup

110K views 2K replies 74 participants last post by  Brad1973 
#1 ·
I thought it might be useful to start a thread for Davis Cup discussions.

Next up is Ecuador, July 8-10.

So who do we send? (I am asking who we would send, not who Laurendeau will pick since many of his recent choices have been inscrutable, to put it politely).

Ecuador of course has long been looking forward to el bombardero: see http://www.diario-expreso.com/ediciones/2011/03/29/deportes/mas-deportes/el-bombardero-raonic/ (I like the fact that this piece suggests Raonic is the main reason for choosing clay – as if a Latin American country ever picked anything but clay against our guys!)

Apart from Raonic, Nestor is there of course, unless he is not available.

I don’t see any signs of players getting themselves ready for the clay (Pospisil, Polansky and Bester are all signed up for hard court challengers in the weeks of Wimbledon). And for the week of DC, Dancevic is signed up for Newport, where he has a QF to defend.

But really when you look at the players Ecuador has to choose from, you can understand that we wouldn’t be taking extreme measures to get ready: http://www.atpworldtour.com/Rankings/Singles.aspx?d=06.06.2011&c=ECU&r=0#. The remaining Lapentti is the only guy they have in the top 350, and he seems to be having problems – recently he’s been retiring from a match almost as often as he completes one.

I would encourage Dancevic to play Newport, and go with Nestor and Pospisil in doubles and bring along Polansky, with a view to playing either Peter or Vasek in the singles.
 
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#492 ·
Oh well, let's just hope we get a good draw (hopefully seeded!) for September's WG playoffs and retain our World Group position. And it was awesome seeing DC at home for once. :D

We got quite unlucky drawing France and some of the decisions this weekend didn't really help either so let's hope for the best.
 
#493 ·
Laurendeau made totally wrong decisions all weekend. I know things are always easier in hindsight, but I would have...

1. Played Frank friday against Tsonga.
2. Played a rested Vasek Saturday with Nestor
3. Without playing Milos in doubles he may have been ready for today, but that's not as much of a decision as it is a result of an earlier decision

he makes these bad decisions every year:facepalm:
 
#494 ·
i have long thought that martin lareneau was an idiot and he has proven it this year with his decisions and proven how petty he can be last year with the whole frank situation.

it might be time to get a new captain, if canada's davis cup team wants to move on further its necessary
 
#495 ·
i've been reading along with everyone and finally made a profile after following for a few years. I must agree that its time for a new captain and direction for team Canada.
We've worked so hard to get to where we are and our current captain (who's name I hate to think let alone write) needs an attitude, mentality and game change.

Shall we start a petition?
 
#501 ·
I disagree. Historically, Canadian players have done well on grass. Even our current players love the grass. Frank Dancevic and Daniel Nestor's best results have come on grass. Also, grass would favor Milos' game big time! It would also help Vasek's game too.

Just imagine holding our Davis Cup ties in either Calgary or BC at high altitudes on grass, we would be unstoppbale! Especially with Milos on serve!
 
#502 ·
Seeded nations
Canada
Germany
Israel
Italy
Kazakhstan
Russia
Sweden
Switzerland

Unseeded nations
Australia
Belgium
Brazil
Chile
Japan
Netherlands
South Africa
Uzbekistan
so this means we get one of the unseeded nations in the WG Playoffs.

There's a better than 50% chance we'll have a home tie again.

In Canada
Brazil
Chile
Netherlands

decided by lot
Australia
Belgium
Japan
South Africa
Uzbekistan
 
#512 ·
so this means we get one of the unseeded nations in the WG Playoffs.

There's a better than 50% chance we'll have a home tie again.

In Canada
Brazil - Brazil would be tough for us. We can lose this one easily.
Chile - Chile at home would be a cakewalk. Their best player Capdeville sucks and even guys like Polansky can take him out.
Netherlands - If played in the right venue, we can take out Netherlands quite handidly. It would be like playing a team like Israel.

decided by lot
Australia - If we play in Australia, there's a good chance we lose this tie and if its played at home, its still a tough tie.
Belgium - If played away, it will be tough. If played at home, it will be easier if played in the right venue.
Japan - Either location will be tough for us because Japan likes playing fast surfaces like us. so this tie could go either way.
South Africa - If we play away, we win this easily and if play at home, we will win for sure. Their best player Anderson is turning American so...
Uzbekistan - If played away, we win the tie. If played at home, we win for sure. They're second weakest team after Chile.
My comments.
 
#505 ·
I don't want Brazil either. Even though it'd be home, they've got a good doubles team, and can send a couple top 100 players. Sure they'd be on hard but I'd much prefer a weaker team who might be confortable on the surface like Chile or Uzbekistan. We should beat Brazil but I still don't want to get them.

Japan and Australia would be without a doubt the toughest. South Africa might not be easy if Anderson plays for them.

As long as we avoid Japan and Australia I think we win.
 
#510 ·
Bring on the best teams! I don't like hoping for easy draws. Canada did it the hard way last year, with three away ties and with injuries. They can do it again this year, against anybody; the eight teams are all within reach. If the tie is in Australia or Japan, would our top players stay out there to play the Asian tournaments (Bangkok, Tokyo, Shanghai), or would they come back in between?
 
#511 ·
Canada did it the hard way last year, with three away ties and with injuries.
You are right that we had it tough with away ties and injuries, but I don't concede that we weren't helped by the draw. Really Israel was one of the teams more easily within our reach - I don't think we would have been able to beat many of the seeded teams, at least without Raonic in form. And the fact that we played the Israel tie away actually helps us now, if I understand the ranking points - if we didn't have the bonus for getting the win away I believe we wouldn't be seeded this year for the play-offs, and so would be facing stiffer opposition.

Having said that, I do think we have a decent shot at any of the possible draws.
 
#513 ·
We play South Africa in South Africa

Singles Rankings

33 Anderson, Kevin (RSA) 1,170 0 28
118 De Voest, Rik (RSA) 447 2 30
124 Van der Merwe, Izak (RSA) 436 2 26
269 Klaasen, Raven (RSA) 168 4 25
381 Roelofse, Ruan (RSA) 107 -2 29
525 Wolmarans, Fritz (RSA) 58 0 22

Doubles Rankings

98 Anderson, Kevin (RSA) 780 -1 12
99 Klaasen, Raven (RSA) 774 -1 27
120 Van der Merwe, Izak (RSA) 636 1 19
166 De Voest, Rik (RSA) 429 0 16
187 Moodie, Wesley (RSA) 360 0 7
 
#514 ·
They recently beat Slovenia 4-1

R1R. ROELOFSE B. KAVCIC 7-6(4) 1-6 1-6 3-6
R2 I. VAN DER MERWE G. ZEMLJA 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4
R3 R. KLAASEN
I. VAN DER MERWE B. KAVCIC
G. ZEMLJA 6-7(5) 7-6(4) 6-1 6-4
R4 I. VAN DER MERWE B. KAVCIC 7-6(3) 6-4 6-4
R5 R. ROELOFSE N. RAZBORSEK
 
#520 ·
That's a pity for South Africa; they already got a bad break when Anderson switched to the US. Maybe their tennis federation was worried about attendance without him. Their other players are not doing well so far this year. With Raonic and Nestor playing well, things are looking favourable for Canada.
 
#521 ·
I wouldn't count Anderson out. According to some media, the reason he didn't play the last tie was just that he needed to be in the US to do with getting his green card.

In fact, one media story today is suggesting that the change in location to Canada may make it more likely that Anderson will play, as the short trip after the US Open will be more convenient for him than going to South Africa (as it will be for our team). http://www.vancouversun.com/Canada+host+Davis+South+Africa+declines/6620062/story.html
 
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