[Nimi]

The french team are sooooooo injury-prone, the only clay-courter in the team that is not currently carrying an injury is The Magician, but he is in a slump.. Llodra/Santoro might fall to Blake/Martin or Blake/Fish, James in singles can do alot of damage on clay, & Pete can defeat the injured Grosjean...
France are still my favorites, but i think the US have some chances now.

 

[Layla]

Actually, Santoro has been having a lot of problems with his ankle lately, so you can include him the injury-prone group, unfortunately. I'm rooting for France. They're my second favorite tennis nation, after Spain.

 

[Murkofan]

Go France!

Down with the Prick!

 

[Lindsayfan]

i'm very worried too,but fortunately there is one month to go so maybe Grosjean will be fully recovered from his injury,and honestly i dont see Blake/Martin beating Santoro/Llodra (what about Pioline for double?) on clay.

ALLEZ LA FRANCE!

 

[Nimi]

Well Santoro just beat Harel Levy 6-2 6-2

I like Spain as well, they rock! My other fave is obviously Israel, & France & the USA than...

 

[Dissident]

Any of the french players can beat Pete on clay. Even injured Im afraid. If the match goes the distance, the chance of Sampras losing only increases.
Im hoping for the French guys to get in the spirit of Davis Cup, which they do extremely well, and go beyond their physical condition.
Blake is a dangerous guy, but I dont believe they would call Pete if it wasnt for him to play.

 

[Angele]

GO USA! And I doubt Pete will be playing the single matches... he really sucks at the moment and it's doubly worse on clay

But go Andy and James

 

[Ace Tracker]

that's right, Angele, no other coach would consciously play Sampras instead of better Blake, but PatMac has been kissing Pete's butt for so long that he is growing himself a moustache...

 

[Dissident]

I guess that once you call a player as Pete, you mean to put him to play.
Not that I dont agree with you, I also think Blake is better than him on clay. But then he should just call Sampras.
Thats my opinion.

 

[Chloe le Bopper]

Of course the US has their chances...

But I would still be very surprised if they upset the French team.

The French team just has too much depth and talent - esp. when playing the Americans on clay.

And injury or not, Santoro has been playing pretty well lately, Grosjean still has a month to get better, etc etc - they will be ready.

Allez France

 

[Lindsayfan]

i'm pretty sure that will be Andy and Pete to play singles.Blake has no experience at this level,and i still prefer Pete playing at 50% than Blake.btw Pete's condition is improving,after he came back with Annacone he started to play better!but who will play second single apart from Grosjean?Santoro or Clement?

 

[TennisHack]

i'm pretty sure that will be Andy and Pete to play singles.Blake has no experience at this level,and i still prefer Pete playing at 50% than Blake.btw Pete's condition is improving,after he came back with Annacone he started to play better!but who will play second single apart from Grosjean?Santoro or Clement?

You've got to be kidding me! Pete playing at 50% is better than Blake playing at all? James played pretty well at RG (the DC tie will be held on Court Phillipe Chartier), ten times better than Pete did. And Blake has played singles for the US team, albeit dead rubbers. I think Blake has a much better chance of winning a clay court match than Sampras, especially against the French team. Blake was toe-to-toe with Grosjean during their match at the French.

 

[Dissident]

What I meant with my last post was that then he should just NOT call Sampras.
He is too big a name to sit in the bench and watch. JMO, though.

 

[Chloe le Bopper]

Yes but he would never disrespect the great Pete

What else would he have to drool over all weekend

 

[Lindsayfan]

Tennishack: Blake has no experience at this level,dont forget that last year he was unknown!!If Pete wants to play,Mcenroe will never leave him out.if Blake will play,it's just cos Pete doesnt want to go to Davis Cup but u can be sure that if both are there,Pete will play.plus Blake has to play also double with Martin so i doubt he'll play all 3 days.btw it's early to talk about davis cup teams,Us Open performances will say who'll play.
Peace and Love.

 

[Chloe le Bopper]

Us Open shouldn't really say who plays, seeing as its played on hardcourt and not clay.

But meh

 

[TennisHack]

Tennishack: Blake has no experience at this level,dont forget that last year he was unknown!!If Pete wants to play,Mcenroe will never leave him out.if Blake will play,it's just cos Pete doesnt want to go to Davis Cup but u can be sure that if both are there,Pete will play.plus Blake has to play also double with Martin so i doubt he'll play all 3 days.btw it's early to talk about davis cup teams,Us Open performances will say who'll play.
Peace and Love.

Blake does have experience at this level, he has played Davis Cup singles for the US before. I agree that PattyMac will probably be too busying sucking up to Sampras to get the clear vision that Pete just doesn't play well on clay, especially not French red clay at Roland Garros. Yes, Blake will probably play doubs with Todd Martin, but he could also play one of the singles matches--he doesn't have to play both. Perhaps when Petey-boy loses his first singles match PattyMac will see the light. But I doubt it.

The US Open won't really have tons of bearing on Davis Cup, especially since, as Rebecca said, the surface is completely different. Plus, the way Patrick McEnroe plays it, he'll always use Roddick & Sampras for singles and Blake/Martin for doubles, even when there are American players that could do better and should get a shot. I think that's what's really gotten the ire up, but we all know that Pat is a minger thanks to that wonderful thread!

 

[Lindsayfan]

so u mean that us Open's performances will be indifferent to Mcenroe and he should based his choice on performance his players had on clay???well if u think so Roddick shouldnt play and Sampras neither!he should call Spadea and Blake!
maybe Mcenroe could make Blake play first match and Pete eventually 5th match, cos Pete knows well how to play in decisive moments...:angel:

but again...who do u think will play double for France?

 

[Dissident]

I guess they always put Santoro and Llodra to play doubles. But you know what makes Davis Cup so interesting is that you never know whats gonna happen.
I mean, I was in a matchup Brazil vs Australia and they didnt put Todd Woodie to play. Hewitt played with Rafter and they won the match anyway.

 

[Lindsayfan]

yes u r right Hitman,but Hewitt-Rafter lost also to Pioline-Santoro in last year's final playing on grass and i thought it was a terrible mistake from Fitzgerald leaving out Woodbridge!

btw i dont think Llodra's game is good on clay,and after Davis Cup quarterfinals,when Lllodra/Santoro beat Novak/Rikl on carpet ,they didnt play well together!i guess double is the real enigma for french captain,cos i believe Grosjean and Clement will play singles for sure.maybe Santoro could play single,but only on sunday and if he'll be not too much tired.