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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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#1,497 ·
So WG playoffs yet again, may not be as easy as India this time.
 
#1,504 · (Edited)
So good news is Canada will be seeded for the WG playoffs, so they will avoid the likes of Argentina, Great Britain, Australia, Serbia and Czech Rep., so can draw any of the nations really who are unseeded to have a great chance at staying in the WG, perhaps Japan might be challenging though, still they get a great draw.
 
#1,507 ·
So the seeds were slightly adjusted one more time with the new rankings coming out and Canada unfortunately drew the toughest available nation in Netherlands, but the good news is Canada will be hosting the tie, so home advantage is key.
 
#1,512 ·
I'm thinking of starting a support group for people who can't get over that doubles loss against Croatia. Or perhaps I'm the only one.

Anyway, onto the Netherlands, or rather onto an as yet unspecified Canadian city against the Netherlands. I vividly remember Grant Cornell's three point effort against them in 1990. I know nothing of Belkin's similar result against them in 1969. The Netherlands won the last one in 2004.

Shapovalov beat Haase yesterday on clay. He should be able to do the same on a faster surface. De Bakker didn't play in April and retired from his only match in May. The Griekspoors (there are more than one) don't have too many credentials.

I'm still confused about whether or not the Netherlands Antilles is its own country. I should go to Aruba and ask. The bottom line seems to be that Rojer can represent the Netherlands. Canada is still the favourite.
 
#1,520 ·
Yeah, lately Canada's performances are all over the shop.

de Bakker may be even better at DC than Haase, at least at times.
 
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#1,518 ·
I agree.

I assume that unless someone is injured, Raonic and Shapovalov will compete solo and Pospisil and Nestor will team up for the double, with Auger-Aliassime playing on Sunday if it's 3-0 or 0-3. If I'm not mistaken, that 4th match would still be a best of 5?

Haase can surprise Raonic and Shapovalov and Nestor isn't the player he used to be, so Canada can no longer take for granted the double point against Rojer and Middelkoop.

I am really, really curious as to whom Pospisil will partner with after Nestor's retirement. Anyone in particular, or just whoever among Raonic, Shapovalov and Auger-Aliassime doesn't already play in singles? Pospisil is just too good to be left out in doubles so he has to be in, unless in a few years, once both full time the ATP Tour, Shapovalov and Auger-Aliassime team up regularly (I think it may be their intent, actually). Who would be your pick?
 
#1,519 ·
Think the tie will be closer than people expect - Netherlands are favorites in doubles and Haase can definitely take a match. His match on day 1 against Shapo will decide how long it goes.

Great question for the dubs - my guess is that it would be Shapo with Vasek if he's willing to play. A long shot is Peter, who's played more and more doubles over the years. But if Shapo is willing, then I'd suspect that's the line up, at least until Shapo-Felix fully take over the team. I doubt with his injuries Milos will accept to play doubles, nor is he necessarily the best option given his RoS.

Who knows what DC will look like though in a few years with the new format?
 
#1,521 ·
Canada leads 2-0 after day one. I was amazed to see Shapovalov moonballing in the third set, but it paid off. Nice win after having lost to Haase this summer.

It was a pretty good atmosphere at the Coca Cola (formerly Ricoh) Coleseum. I think I saw Jan Siemerink sitting near me.

I think the Netherlands will win the doubles, though it would be nice to see Nestor go out with a win. Canada is favoured in the reverse singles.
 
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