[Zirconek]

http://www.daviscup.com/ties/tie.asp?tie=100014458
Hala 100 Lecia Sopotu, Sopot
Stadium Capacity: 1,523
05 March - 07 March 2010
Day 1: 1300 hrs (1200 hrs GMT)
Day 2: 1300 hrs (1200 hrs GMT)
Day 3: 1130 hrs (1030 hrs GMT)
Surface: Hard (Greenset Grand Prix) - Indoors
Ball Type: Dunlop Pro Tour

Ticket information:
Friday, Saturday, Sunday - 20 PLN

Poland and Finland are tied 2-2

Last meeting:
Euro/African Group II 1997 Semifinal
Finland d. Poland 3-2 in Finland

Team nominations

Poland
Lukasz Kubot
Michal Przysiezny
Marcin Matkowski
Mariusz Fyrstenberg
Captain: Radoslaw Szymanik

Finland
Jarkko Nieminen
Henri Kontinen
Timo Nieminen
Harri Heliovaara
Captain: Kim Tilikainen

[Zirconek]

Winner of this tie plays South Africa (May 07-09) in second round for a place in World Group Play-Offs.

Poland would play at home against South Africa
South Africa would play at home against Finland

[Zirconek]

Polish tennis is peaking, but still Finland can spoil the fun in Sopot.

[Andre♥]

Indoor hard?

Poland is trying everything to lose and that may happen if Kontinen beats Przysiezny (tough, but possible).

[Caio_Brasil]

One of the best ties of the weekend.

[Chris-swede]

very great matchup! But why poland did not choose clay??ß Henri K. cannot play on clay, Kubot has played a lot on clay. and Nieminen loves indoors....

[Horatio Caine]

Bizarre choice of surface, as others have mentioned. But maybe the decision was made before the start of the season? In which case, Kubot hadn't become the stronger player he is now, and maybe the Poles were trying to favour Przysiezny's matches (as he is a decent indoor player)?

Undoubtedly a tough tie, and one of a couple to keep a particular eye out for over the weekend. Poland with the strength in depth, but Finland still with the ability to win key rubbers (maybe Nieminen x2, and Kontinen). Poland doubles pairing obviously strong on paper, but Fyr/Kow aren't reliable.

Also may not be to Poland's advantage that Kubot did so well on the South American clay court swing (singles and doubles). Might be feeling a little tired, and he will only have a few days to adjust from clay to indoor hard courts.

[byledobiec]

Burro, we have Fyrstenberg/Matkowski doubles duo, Kow(alczyk) doesn't play To answer confusion -- we don't have venue with indoor clay court, it's very unusual at least. It's one nearby but court was installed in old hospital warehouse and there's awfully dark -- to be honest it's the only place with indoor clay in Poland I do know.

So we play on greenset, guys are working very hard tipping that kind od surface onto classic wooden basketball pitch. Our players love to play on hard as well as clay. Przysiężny won Helsinki challenger it's the biggest tournament won by Pole since 1982. Kubot made impressive results on clay but also on hard (Aussie, Beijing) and just wait for American tour

Yeah, it's obviously the best match in Group 1. I've found some stuff about it. For Polish speakers, I don't know why there is so few of them here. About matches on the Baltic: http://www.sportowefakty.pl/tenis/20...-sluzy-polakom and about Sopot http://www.sportowefakty.pl/tenis/20...ez-tenisistow/

[Horatio Caine]

There is a Kowalczyk? Didn't know that.

But I did mean Matkowski. And my point still stands...they are a good team, but capable of losing many doubles matches they should win. Nieminen & Kontinen wouldn't be a mug pairing either.

I think either surface (indoor hard or clay) would benefit one of your players, while hindering the other. Kubot seems to be better on clay, but Przysiezny is best on indoor hard. Doesn't really matter too much...if Kubot can maintain his form, he should still have a chance to win singles on this surface.

[byledobiec]

You'd like to say that you'd written Kow having Matkowski in your mind? It's impressive coincidence then cuz Kowalczyk is our 5th doubles player... doesn't have any chance for Davis Cup nomination at the moment

[byledobiec]

Is it the only match in 1st Europe/Africa Group who is not being broadcasted?

[Labamba]

^does that mean there won't be any streams either?

what about livescores?

[raph72]

For Poland, i thin Kubot and Przyziezny are legitime for singles. I think Janowicz, who won a Future last week, is a good substitute. For doubles, the best player is Kubot but can the poland coach will break the duo Matkowsky - Fyrstenberg ? It's a good duo but a duo Kubot - Matkowsky (or Kubot - Fyrstenbegr) is possible too. It's like in Great Britain with Skupski - Fleming and Hutchins.
For Finland, i think actually J. Nieminen and Kontinen should play singles and doubles. Timo Nieminen, experience player in davis Cup, can be an alternative in singles but i would have picked in the team Laaksonen in place of Heliovara. Laaksonen is better double player.

[Labamba]

Heliövaara is a better doubles player than Laaksonen for sure and a great guy to have around for team morale. Laaksonen is better off playing futures than sitting on the bench here. Jarkko and Henkka will play everything, if there's no injuries.

[Horatio Caine]

Originally Posted by byledobiec

You'd like to say that you'd written Kow having Matkowski in your mind? It's impressive coincidence then cuz Kowalczyk is our 5th doubles player... doesn't have any chance for Davis Cup nomination at the moment

Yes, it was meant to be a cheap joke, based on the English word 'cow'...because Marcin isn't the fittest player on the tour.

Next time I should research some more of the country's players...


....
I don't think it would be wise to give Kubot matches on Friday and Saturday (and maybe Sunday also)...tough on the body, and I don't think it would increase Poland's chances of winning the doubles. They should get the job done with Fyr/Mat anyway, and they are a proven pairing.