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The Davis Cup final ...

9K views 258 replies 9 participants last post by  Lindsayfan 
#1 ·
Will be played on clay in Paris Bercy :)

I think clay is a good surface for the French players:)

Do you think Santoro will play the singles because he has a good record against Safin ??? ... i don't know :confused:
 
#52 ·
yes,they need to rest a lot before a big effort like DC will be! ;)
u know they practise really hard for DC,i saw them in Paris and i was shocked how hard they trained :eek:
 
#53 ·
hehe yeah...they always put their heart and soul into davis cup--must be really motivated by Guy though--he looks like he'd make them train really hard!
 
#56 ·
:sad: exactly, feels like lacking something :(
 
#57 ·
yeah,i feel so empty! :( fortunately french stage starts on 17 november.we'll have lots of news and articles since next monday ;)

btw i'm still waiting that Mr Guy Forget says who'll be part of team... :fiery:
 
#58 ·
hehe but at least i havent been getting TOO distracted-my exams start on wednesday!!!!! :(
lol 'MR guy forget'...yeah well if neone hears any news post it coz i'm not checking sites atm.

did u guys hear about roddick and mandy moore? thats gross!!
 
#59 ·
yes i've heard about Andy and Mandy but honestly i dont know her...she isnt famous at all here in Italy :p

I could phone Guy and ask him who's in the team :eek:
 
#60 · (Edited)
No need to call Guy now, Vale, he told the press :p :)o you can still pretend that you don't know ;) )

http://fr.sports.yahoo.com/021114/5/2uig0.html
The five musketeers chosen for the training course by Guy are Seb, Nico, Arnaud, Fab and Paul-Henri :D
Guy will make the final decision next week :)
 
#61 ·
thanks Marilyn!i'm not surprised by this selection cos Llodra played really bad in semifinal against Usa-on the other side,Nico played very well with Fab in Madrid and in Bercy so this performance convinced Guy to name Nico instead of Mika.
i'm glad Paulo recovered from his injury and is part of the team.now the question is: who'll play singles?Seb is untouchable (?) so who'll play the second single...Arnaud or Paulo?
we'll know it the day of the draw.usually Guy says to players who is going to play on tuesday night,but he makes it public the day of draw (on thursday) so we have to wait until 28 november. :(
 
#62 ·
stage will start on 17 november in Royan,France.they'll be practising at ROC GARDEN Tennis Club, where they have warm courts.team will be located at Novotel.if someone lives close there and wants to go to meet the team... :eek: ;)
 
#63 ·
lol how do you know they're staying at novotel vale?! btw i love that song too!! omg if arnaud doesnt play the final AGAIN i'd cry!!! i think i've already said that...hehe but itd be sooooooo sad...hed be so upset to be left out again two years in a row...
 
#65 · (Edited)
usually they say what's their hotel on FFT site.i met Guy at his hotel in paris,u know.
i agree with you about Arnaud.if he wont play again,it would be so awful!but Guy has to choose the best player,so if he thinks Mathieu is in a better shape,he'll pick Mathieu.of course i'd like to see Arnaud playing.
 
#66 ·
Here the rules for team-nomination:

"Under Davis Cup rules, teams must nominate their official four-man team at least ten days before a tie, in this case by Tuesday 19 November. Up to two nominations may then be changed up to an hour before the draw, which will take place on Thursday 28 November"
 
#67 ·
yeah i know that Guy will pick whoevers playign better by then but but but you knowwww!! he'd be heartbroken and even mathieu IS playing better in training leading up to that week, you never know in DC! seb was playing sooooo well during TMC and then he lost both his matches so you really never know...but yeah i know Guy will make the right decision for the team!
 
#69 ·
esther,u could stalk them in DC final 2001,they stayed in Melbourne for about 2 weeks! :eek:
plus in Melbourne they went 2 or 3 times for dinner at "France soir" restaurant and they trained at Kooyong...u met them,i hope! ;)
 
#70 ·
Forget : « J’ai choisi les plus performants »
15 novembre 2002 - Thomas THEATE


Guy Forget a révélé l'identité des cinq joueurs qui participeront au stage de Royan (du 17 novembre au soir au 24). Arnaud Clément, Nicolas Escudé, Sébastien Grosjean, Paul-Henri Mathieu et Fabrice Santoro sont les heureux élus. Le capitaine français devra ensuite trancher afin de ne retenir que quatre joueurs pour la finale face à la Russie.


Paul-Henri Mathieu a finalement été choisi et Mickaël Llodra disparaît du groupe France.
C’est un choix qui a été difficile à faire par rapport à beaucoup de ces garçons. Le choix de Paul-Henri Mathieu était bien sûr lié à sa blessure. J’ai vu beaucoup de bonnes choses à Bercy en simple et en double et aujourd’hui je veux préparer les garçons qui ont le plus de chances de rapporter un point à l’équipe. J’ai hésité à partir à six parce qu’à Bercy, lors de notre stage de préparation, on a à disposition seulement deux courts.

Vous avez souhaité vous concentrer sur cinq joueurs pour ne pas vous disperser ?
On était six lors de la dernière rencontre face aux Etats-Unis parce que justement on avait trois courts, a chaque fois on pouvait s’entraîner. Et par rapport à ça, on a connu des soucis d’entraînement parce qu’il fallait que l’on se dispatche avec Thierry (Tulasne) car il fallait que l’on soit sur trois courts en permanence.

Les médecins vous ont rassuré sur l’état de Santé de Paul-Henri ?
Oui, le problème c’est qu’aujourd’hui le médecin vient de faire un ensemble de tests qui sont plutôt positifs, sa douleur évolue dans le bon sens. Maintenant, les joueurs ont l’air d’être en forme, sont tous bien reposés, Paul-Henri le premier. A partir du moment où j’ai l’aval du médecin, je crois que l’on peut de toute évidence être optimiste. Je prends cinq joueurs qui sont tous capables de jouer en simple, il y en a au moins trois qui savent jouer en double. J’ai choisi les joueurs les plus performants, ceux qui à mon avis ont le plus de chance de rapporter des points.

Votre choix apparaît comme des plus logique…
Je pense effectivement que c’est un choix logique. Les gens s’attendaient plus ou moins à cela. Les derniers résultats parlent d’eux-mêmes. Maintenant, on verra bien selon les entraînements et j’espère bien observer d’autres choses positives. On effectue un gros boulot avec tous les joueurs et puis après, il faut aller gagner les matches. C’est un petit peu secondaire les choix que l’on peut faire, il y des joueurs qui arrivent, d’autres qui partent, on a vu par le passé que ce n’est pas toujours les même qui ont joué.

La victoire à Bercy de la paire Escudé-Santoro est-elle à l’origine de la non sélection de Mickaël Llodra pour ce stage de préparation ?
Ce n’est pas impossible. Là encore, il faut faire ses preuves à l’entraînement et arriver à être en forme le jour J et ça, j’espère que les uns, les autres vont me montrer des choses positives. Il m’arrive souvent à l’entraînement d’avoir plutôt une idée en faveur de l’un plus que de l’autre et puis de voir aussi des fois un retournement de situation dans la mesure où les joueurs sont sensiblement du même niveau.

Ce sera en fonction de l’instinct du moment

Vous partez dans quelques jours à Royan, vous allez commencer tout de suite la préparation mentale de l’événement ?
On va aller crescendo, on a le temps. On va se donner les moyens de bien jouer.

Vous avez jeté un œil du côté de Shanghai avec un Safin qui joue beaucoup en ce moment ?
Oui, il joue beaucoup mais vous savez, pour moi, cela n’a pas une réelle importance. Je reste concentré sur l’objectif alors que l’on va jouer des joueurs qui vont être en forme et qui, à mon avis, vont être à leur meilleur niveau le jour de la finale, tout comme nous.

Et la possibilité de faire jouer Fabrice Santoro en simple face à Safin ?
C’est une des possibilités. Safin sait qu’il n’aime pas jouer contre Fabrice qui l’a battu la dernière fois ! Il faut être en forme à ce moment là, j’ai besoin de Fabrice aussi en double. On va travailler de toute façon les deux disciplines et puis on verra bien à l’arrivée qui se détache, qui joue le mieux. Ce sera, comme je l’ai toujours fait, en fonction de l’instinct du moment.

Vous partez quand même à Royan avec une idée précise de la configuration des quatre joueurs qui seront alignés face à la Russie ?
Pas précise, non. Une idée, mais j’espère que tout ça va se confirmer au cours du stage et que les gars vont montrer leurs meilleurs visages à l’entraînement, qu’ils vont progresser, parce que j’attends des joueurs en grande forme pour battre les Russes.
-------------------------------------------

Sorry but today i'm too lazy to translate it!btw its not very difficult to understand! ;)
 
#71 ·
ohhhhhh nooooo...i can't believe how badly i didn't take advantage of france playing australia in the freaking DAVIS CUP FINAL last year!!!! if it wasn't for exams i would have seriously stalked them but i couldn't...i didn't know that that's where they ate and the public would'nt have been allowed to see them train i don't think anyway...lol i can't believe you know all that information and you live like miles away!!...oh well no point sulking about that now...:(

heres a translation of that interview:

Forget: « I chose the most performance
15 November 2002 - Thomas THEATE

Guy Forget revealed the identity of the five players that will participate in the training in Royan (November 17 to the 24). Arnaud Clement, Nicolas Escudé, Sébastien Grosjean, Paul-Henri Mathieu and Fabrice Santoro are the happy ones elected. The French captain next will have to split in order to keep only four players for the final one facing Russia.


Paul-Henri Mathieu finally was chosen and Mickaël Llodra disappears from the group France.

This is a choice that was difficult to do in comparison with a lot of these boys. The choice Paul-Henri Mathieu was of course linked to his injury. I saw a lot of good things to Bercy in simple and some doubles and today I want to prepare the boys that have the more of lucks to retrieve a point to the team. I hesitated to leave for six because of Bercy, at the time of our preparation training, one has at disposal only two short ones.

You wished to concentrate on five players for not to disperse you?

One was six at the time of the last encounter facing the United States because exactly one had three short ones, has every time one could train. And in comparison with that, one knew entraînement concerns because it was necessary that one oneself dispatche with Thierry (Tulasne) for it was necessary that one be on three short ones in permanence.

The doctors reassured you on the Health state of Paul-Henri?

Yes, the problem this is that today the doctor has just done a body of tests that are rather positive, his pain evolves in the good direction. Now, the players seem to be in forms, are all goods rested, paul-henri the first one. From the moment where I have the downhill one doctor, I believe that one can quite obviously be optimistic. I take five players that are all able to play in singles, there are some at least three that know to play some doubles. I chose the players more performance, those that in my opinion have the more of luck to retrieve points.

Your choice appears as more logics…

I think effectively that this is a logical choice. The people expected more or less thereto. The last results talk about themselves. Now, one will see well according to the entraînements and I hope well to observe positive something else. One effectuates a big tubby one with all the players and then after, it is necessary to be going to win the matches. This is a small one not very secondary the choices that one can do, it there players that arrive, of others that leave, one saw by the passed that this always is not them even that played.

The victory to Bercy of the pair escudé-santoro is she to the origin of the non-selection of Mickaël Llodra for this preparation training?

This is not impossible. There again, it is necessary to do its proofs to the entraînement and arrive to be in forms the day J'S and that, I hope that the a, the others will show me positive things. It arrives me often to the entraînement to have rather an idea in the one favor more than of the other and then to see also sometimes a position retournement in the measure where the players are noticeably of the same level.

This will be according to the instinct of the moment

You leave in some days to Royan, you will begin right away the mental preparation of the event?

One will go crescendo, one has the time. One will give oneself the means of well to play.

You threw a œil side of Shanghai with a Safin that plays a lot in this moment?

Yes, it plays a lot but you know, for me, that has not a real importance. I remain concentrating on the objective while one will play the players that will be in forms and that, in my opinion, will be to their better level the day of the final one, just as we.

And the possibility to do to play Fabrice Santoro in single facing Safin?

This is one of the possibilities. Safin knows that it does not like to play against Fabrice that the beat the last time! It is necessary to be in forms at that very moment, I need Fabrice also some doubles. One will work in any case the two disciplines and then one will see well to the arrival that detaches itself, that plays the better. This will be, as I always did it, according to the instinct of the moment.

You leave when even to Royan with an idea specifies configuration of the four players that will be aligned facing Russia?

Does not specify, no. An idea, but I hope that all that will confirm itself during the course of training and that the guys will show their better faces to the entraînement, than they will progress, because I await players in big form to beat the Russians.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
#76 · (Edited)
Guy interview (taken today,18 november) for once a not boring interview! ;)

Q: Guy, which impressions leave you your players these last weeks?

The assessment is rather positive, whether it is into simple or double. I saw very good things, few bad. I was optimistic before the tournament of Bercy and I left the POPB while being to it very as much.

Q: Guy, You know your players very well. Did you still learn from the things on them at the time of a tournament like BNP Paribas Masters?

Of course, I saw new things with Bercy! I saw a Sebastien Grosjean more offensive. I saw new compositions of double with sequences which I liked, of the very interesting things. Thus yes, I learned still much.

Q: How do you explain the good results of your players these last weeks? Can one speak about effect Coupe Davis?

Partly. I think that the carrot of the Davis Cup at the end of the season is something of positive for them. They want really to deserve their place and to put the maximum of confidence on their side. I as believe, to return to the performances of Sebastien Grosjean to Saint-Péterbourg, or Fabrice Santoro in Madrid, as they are boys who, today, are at the top of their game. They are complete, have retreat, experiment. They are morally rather sure them and that is seen, that pays in match. As for Paul-Henri Mathieu, it is the explosion of a young talent until one waits for a long time. There, it is appearing in a way crashing to pieces at the great day. For Nicolas Escudé, it is some formidable share which it made a success of in Bercy, because it is a manner for him of finding the confidence which was perhaps lacking to him, following its wound with the abdominal ones. The victories which it obtained with the POPB are likely to completely reassure him on his level of play.

Q: The other side of the coin is that they played all much lately. Don't you fear that they are somewhat blunted?

At all, because I believe that there is a very good timing. None of them disputes Masters. Egoistically, compared to "my" Cup Davis, finally rather compared to my team, I would say that it is a good. They played all much, but they could profit, after Bercy, of time to be on holiday and nothing to make whole, to put the racket on side and ressourcer as well physically as morally. Following that, they could take again the drive on their premises, quietly, to crescendo give the foot to the clamp and to tackle the training course of preparation while being to block from all points of view. Thus on the contrary, I believe that the timing is really very, very good.

Q: The choice of surface for the final seemed very delicate. Is this the most difficult choice that you had to carry out since you are a captain?

Not. On each meeting, I have choices difficult to carry out. It is that there, surface was not obvious to choose, precisely because owing to the fact that there is in our team of the boys with very different styles of play and who take a lead in very diverse surfaces. For a given moment, it was necessary to slice and the majority of the players had profit of cause. While knowing that the Russians will be probably less dangerous on clay than on hard.

Q: Did you have to slice personally?

With final, it is me which announces it, but they are the players who are concerned. These is thus the choice and their decision which are most significant, not mine.

Q:Since announced it to you, you regretted, would be this only one time, this choice of the beaten ground?

At all!

Q: Contrary to last year, you will dispute the final in France. The pressure to be supported will be much more significant. Isn't this a handicap?
To play home has advantages and disadvantages, as well as playing outside. The advantage which one has today is that one will have the public behind us, but also that one disputed the three preceding meetings on our premises. One thus grew louder and louder with this public! One cannot say only one is likely to be caught a cold shower, because of a contrast which would put pressure to us. Not, one plays like that since the beginning of the season, it is rather positive.

Q: How will you protect your team from this pressure?

I believe that I do not need to protect it. This team is autonomous, each one knows what it has to do, each one has its place, all the roles are well defined. As for the media pressure, it is good, necessary to the stake. It contributes to the fact that the boys will transcend themselves, to produce a very good tennis. They will be some share in their bubble to optimize their play and their qualities, but they are completely serene. They have trade. All!

Q: Do you have already a precise idea of the team which you will align?

Not, I have images, I think of things which could go. But I did not stop my choices. I will not lie you, my team is already made to 90 % :eek:

Q: you play on clay,so it means that Escude wont play single

Nicolas Escudé has thus very, very few chances to be retained into simple. If I had chosen a fast surface, that would have been the surface of Nicolas above all. Thus the miracle solution does not exist. Most significant will be the capacity of the ones and others to produce their best tennis of Friday at Sunday. It is what that one will gain or lose this meeting. Surface is not, in fact, that a detail.

Q: Where are you of your experiments in double?

I had five players in quarterfinals in Bercy! And three in the final! It is an assessment than positive more. I will not complain. My team however is not made yet.

Q: Were you surprised by some players?

Not surprised because I know their intrinsic value. But to see, in new teams, the quality of play which they were able to produce, it is very encouraging for the continuation. Not only for the final against the Russians, but also for next year.

Q: what do you think of the Russians?

They are players stronger than us on paper. They have a more eloquent prize list and are able, I think, to beat us with regular on all surfaces. Now, to make the perfect meeting of A to Z, knowing that there will be five matches to play, and that physical freshness will have its word to say, that Kafelnikov had very poor results on clay these three last years, it will not be obvious for them. The probability of seeing the Russians carrying out the perfect match is thus weak! If, contrary, on our side, one makes a match meticulous person, one arrives at our signal, one must be able well to annoy them, even to beat them. One will do everything so that that occurs like that.

Q: Did you already notice weaknesses at your adversaries?

Yes, of course! Not much because it is nevertheless not of Charlots! But I detected axes of work. In Bercy, I even saw gaps in the play of Safin, of the things which one will exploit.

Q:Do you have the feeling which the Russian team is strongest that you had to face under your capitanat?

Not, I do not think who it is stronger than Australia last year. I think that that will be the same style of meeting as in Melbourne. If one wants to beat the Russians in Paris, it same tennis should be produced. But the ball is in our camp, more than in theirs. The meeting will rest above all on our forces.

Q:a thought about Llodra?

I've phoned him 3 days ago and he found my selection logic.there are no faves here,it plays who deserves it.
 
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