[Neely]

They were one day without their luggage, but I hope they could prepare well since then for this upcoming task and that they go back to the World Group!!!!

Good luck to: Kiwi, Tommy, Rainer, Flo, Alex

 

[jole]

Some very quality match ups in this one. Good luck to Germany.

 

[Jogy]

YESS!!!

Tommy looking good

Tommy will win for Germany I hope

come on and go Tommy!

 

[Neely]

it's incredible how Tommy still lost this match
Berdych played very well, but Tommy has three match points (I believe) and was not fit enough in the fifth set

Berdych wins 4-6 4-6 6-1 7-6(9) 6-3

Germany trails 0-1

so Kiwi's match is already a must-win match now

 

[knight_ley]

Kiwi

 

[Neely]

Kiwi wins 7-6(4) 4-6 6-4 6-2

the tie is even at 1-1 after day 1

Good result, count it as a working win (Arbeitssieg), a must-win match!


3 hours and 30 minutes. Tommy played just 17 minutes more despite he had to go into a fifth set which shows that Kiwi's four set match was a very intense match also.


Good luck for the doubles tomorrow!
(maybe we see a surprise lineup, meaning something else than Waske/Haas...)

 

[Neely]

from Tommy's match
unfortunately, Kiwi's match was not shown because they showed Germany vs Slovenia of the EURO basketball champs

 

[JMG]

Unfortunately Kiefer isn't a choice for Kühnen. We all know him, he'll play with Waske/Schuettler or Waske/Haas. I think it will be Waske/Schuettler and they will win and then Kiefer has the chance to win for the first time in his career against a good player in Davis Cup.

 

[Neely]

A very important doubles win today, so this gives Germany two chances tomorrow to get the third point


Haas/Waske def. Cermak/Friedl 4-6 7-5 6-2 2-6 6-4

Waske didn't play really well and consistent in this match. He lost his serve four times compared to Tommy who lost his one only once in the match. Also Tommy seemed to pull through Alex this time more than usually. Alex didn't feel so safe and he struggled heavily with shots the he normally converts easily, like high overhead smashes or put-away volleys. Thanksfully they never stopped playing and believed in their chances. The fifth set was very tight and the German team was down 15-30 or 0-30 a few times on their serve and these situations have been very exciting. Finally they broke for the match at the end.

Thanks Tommy/Alex!

 

[Lee]

Thanks for the report, Neely!

 

[Neely]

some pics from doubles:

 

[knight_ley]

Dani thank you so much for the screencaps

 

[Neely]

What a day today... first in the afternoon the doubles thriller, and just before the basketball thriller which Germany also won (by one point)

I'm and at the same time too much for my nerves :lol:

Germany wins thrilling roller coaster
In an emotional roller coaster lasting 3 hours, 38 minutes and five sets Tommy Haas and Alexander Waske beat Frantisek Cermak and Leos Friedl 46 75 62 26 64.

After the match point, Patrik Kühnen, the German captain, ran on the court, jumped around and hugged his players. It was his way of celebrating the sweet victory which gave Germany a 2-1 lead in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group play-off tie against the Czech Republic.

“It was a terrific match. I am proud and happy that we pulled it out. I am exhausted and nothing is decided yet,” said Haas. Asked if he was tired because he had played five sets on Friday against Tomas Berdych he answered, “I didn’t think about it. I was pure adrenalin.” Haas believed after he and Waske won the second set that they had a pretty good chance to win the rubber.

“I cannot blame my players. Sometimes we were lucky, sometimes they. It was pretty equal. It was a high level match,” the Czech captain Cyril Suk said.

“I enjoyed playing. It was a great atmosphere. Unluckily we could not win. But I cannot remember that Leos and I played such a good match before,” Cermak said.

Cermak and Friedl played for the first time in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas. Haas and Waske were playing their third Davis Cup match. Each time they have had to fight five sets and at the end they have always succeeded.

In the first set Cermak and Friedl looked strong right from the start. In the very first game Waske lost his serve. At 4-3, Friedl gave away his service despite leading 40-0 but in the next game Waske was broken again. Cermak then held serve to decide the first set.

Both teams lost serve at the beginning of the second set. At 4-5 Waske and Haas had three set points but Cermak played excellently in this pressurised situation, hitting his first service extremely well. But at 5-6, the German team converted a break point to win the set 7-5.

It was now a typical Davis Cup rubber with a fantastic atmosphere and ups and downs on both sides. The Germans served better, the Czechs, who have won nine tournaments on clay, returned extremely well. When Haas and Waske broke Cermak’s serve to lead 4-2, the Czech team failed to win another point in the third set.

Leading two sets to one, it seemed Haas and Waske lost a bit of concentration. When they were on serve at 1-2 in the fourth set, Haas missed an easy volley at 40-15 and the German team went on to lose the game. A few minutes later Haas, the only player not having lost his serve up to that point, got broken. Cermak and Friedl converted their first set point at 5-2 levelled the match.

In the fifth set their were no breaks of service until the tenth game. Waske had stayed cool from 15-30 to put Germany 5-4 ahead. In the next game Frantisek Cermak had to face two match points at 15-40. On his second serve Waske hit a forehand cross court which Cermak could not reach to end the match

With the lead Germany has a good chance to advance to the Davis Cup World Group by BNP Paribas.

“It was my wish that on Saturday our team will be in front 2-1. I am very confident that either Nicolas Kiefer or Tommy Haas will win the third point,” said German capitain Patrik Kuhnen.

Tomorrow the two No. 1 players Tomas Berdych and Nicolas Kiefer will start at 12.30 local time. Then Tomas Zib and Tommy Haas will follow.

 

[Jogy]

YEAH TOMMMY!!!!!! :clap2: :bigclap: :bigclap:

WHAT A BIG CHAMP
he fighted everything not to lose two five set matches in row!

I could not watch the end, but was happy about result and I saw that Waske had problems with shots he normally makes better and they played always on Waske because Czechs tought he will make errors for them. Good that they won, that was very big win, now Germany leads 2-1

when Kiefer loses, Haas will make final point - I'm sure

 

[Neely]

Jogy, Waske wasn't SO bad like you seem to say :lol: Yes, he was not at his best and not consistent, missing volleys or smashes or just not able to put away volleys properly because Friedl/Cermak could retrieve too much and the German team had troubles to end the points at the net, but he also had some better stretches where he played well. I'm just glad that Tommy had a few good shots and that he was the leader in important moments on the court showing the direction and being tough in the fifth set. Czech Republic had many good looks to break in this fifth set.
I think as fair conclusion it would be good to say: Alex was further away from his normal form than Tommy.

Overall the ace count and both guy's serve was not so good, I think for the match they served under 40% and almost no aces.

 

[Neely]

The match point and the reaction: This is for you if you like German guys celebrating, showing their fist, hugging and jumping around in joy :angel: You could see this meant a lot for them

http://rapidshare.de/files/5495348/HaasWaske_Celebration.avi.html

 

[knight_ley]

Thanks Dani!!!!!!!! *goes to download it*

 

[Neely]

Thanks Dani!!!!!!!! *goes to download it*

you're welcome!
I just downloaded it myself and realized it's not such a good quality due to too much pixellation, I think I messed up something while encoding it. But I hope you still like it...

Best would be if we had such scenes tomorrow again with Kiwi celebrating after his match :inlove: But this time not only celebrating a won match, but the whole TIE! :rocker2: Come on, that would be huge! :smoke:

 

[knight_ley]

you're welcome!
I just downloaded it myself and realized it's not such a good quality due to too much pixellation, I think I messed up something while encoding it. But I hope you still like it...

Best would be if we had such scenes tomorrow again with Kiwi celebrating after his match :inlove: But this time not only celebrating a won match, but the whole TIE! :rocker2: Come on, that would be huge! :smoke:

If that is the case tomorrow, your homework assignment is screencaps and video :angel:

Dani, you are my hero. But I tell you that almost daily, so I think you know

 

[knight_ley]

The download froze so I closed it and tried to redownload it and it won't let me do it again