Davis Cup Review

Since my good mate Shank Tennis decided to do a Davis Cup preview and there were some interesting results and a bit of controversy, which isn't always a bad thing. Davis Cup is not just about the World Group, the level below didn't have any major surprises but set up some potentially good ties in the next round.

Spain vs. Kazakhstan

Currently Spain in Davis Cup play are like what the Swedes were in the 80s, at the moment they have great depth especially for the clay ties. Nadal, Ferrer, LaLo aren't playing this year and won't be needed initially.

Oviedo hosted the tie, good to see tennis being played in Asturias. The city is the home of the man Galo Blanco, Santi Cazorla, Mata and their football club Real Oviedo struggling, so this was guaranteed to cheer the locals up and the siderias would have done a fine trade over the weekend.

Kazakhstan are the team with no Kazakhs, they're all Russians. The president is a tennis fanatic so offered some good oil and gas money to get Kukushkin, Korolev, Golubev and Schukin to switch, even with the problems with Russian men's tennis only Kuku would be likely to get a run.

Spain playing with Ferrero, Almagro, Granollers and Marc Lopez got this tie done comfortably. Kuku was up 4-0 in the 3rd set, yet managed to lose the set in a tiebreaker. This was their best chance to win a match, now they're back to the playoffs.

Almagro finally getting a go at this Davis Cup caper, but he knows it came about through default through other players not playing singles. Corretja if given time could be the calming influence on El Cabezon who in spite of his failings is one of the better players on clay.


Spanish Team

Granollers/Lopez were excellent in doubles and it was good to see them getting ago, perhaps it can give them more confidence and they'll play as a regular unit.

Now they have another home tie vs. Austria

Austria vs. Russia

Finally after all these years Austria win a World Group, the last time that happened was when Thomas Muster was playing near his peak. It has been too long for them, a combination of tough draws, not taking their chances contributed.


Jürgen Melzer

Jürgen Melzer finally stepped up as a team leader after being a player who never showed his best level in Davis Cup. The format can make players lift above their normal levels, then it can inhibit others like Melzer. Previously Melzer had to play all 3 days and if the recently retired Stefan Koubek wasn't winning his matches, that put more pressure on him.

Russians had an injured Mikhail Youzhny who couldn't play the singles, so they started off with Igor Kunitsyn and Alex Bogomolov. Melzer scrapped through over Kunitsyn in the first match, which he'd have lost previously, in the process this relaxed Andreas Haider-Maurer who lifted to get the upset over Bogomolov giving the Austrians a rare lead on Day 1.

Shamil Tarpishev was criticised for fielding Kunitsyn and Bogomolov, normally it would be Davydenko and Youzhny. Davydenko is very much out of form, so who knows whether it would be a better option, but they managed to win the doubles. Youzhny was serving half pace but was still hitting some very sweet shots and the beard is damn awesome.

Melzer was brilliant in his match against Bogomolov. Dominating from the baseline with clean strokes and moving to the net at the right moments. After the big switch from USA to Russia where Bogomolov had to pay back the USTA money, which was a joke since the USTA never compensated other nations that switched to play for them. It's safe to say that Bogomolov's Davis Cup debut wasn't so successful.

Alex Bogomolov learning about Davis Cup

Happy for Austria making the quarter finals though it will end next round.

Canada vs. France

It was a pleasure to see tennis played on a fast surface these days, which is rare in the current era of homogenised surfaced. In the singles there was plenty of aggressive play from the back and more volleys in 5 games than there was in the Djokovic vs. Nadal Aus Open final.

Sure it wasn’t like the old days in Calgary which is 1048 m. That was an ice rink played at altitude so the points weren’t exactly fast. After being level on Day 1, this where Martin Laurendeau the Canadian captain decided to take a gamble and play Milos Raonic in doubles, he isn’t a great doubles player and doubles guru Daniel Nestor wanted to play with Vasek Pospisil or Frank Dancevic.


Milos Raonic out injured

This gamble bit him in the arse as they lost the doubles and Raonic had to withdraw from the singles with knee trouble. He is raw, still needs to develop physically and managing his body is going to be a challenge, as he has already had problems with his hip. His match with Tsonga was going to be difficult enough at best, but it was a disappointing end to a promising tie as Tsonga made poutine of Dancevic to clinch the tie.

France will be at home to the US and they will put down a better clay court than the Swiss did and won’t lose.

Switzerland vs. USA

See here
Federer Fribourg Fiasco

Czech Republic vs. Italy

After an absence of many years Italy returned to the World Cup, though they got a tough draw with the Czechs in Ostrava. The Czechs when they have Berdych and Stepanek they’re a good unit, the problem lies when one of them can’t play singles as their third option isn’t always the strongest. Though Lukas Rosol played a good match and won his dead rubber match.

Andreas Seppi returned to the Davis Cup team this was mainly due to the Fog being injured and also since Seppi is in a position to play at the Olympics so he needs to get his Davis Cup quota. Ideally it would have been good if he won his singles matches, but the Czechs won the tie.


Radek Stepanek

His match with the crafty and sexy Stepanek was enjoyable to watch, but it showed why Steps is a bad match up for him. Seppi started well taking the ball early and was working over Stepanek’s forehand which is the side that can break down.

Stepanek got into the match more, was able to get his variations happening, moving to the net to knock the volleys off and keep Seppi off balance. Stepanek created more break chances, whereas Seppi didn’t have many chances but had a high conversion rate, it was just one poor service game in the 5th from Seppi that Stepanek was able to take advantage and win.

Once Stepanek set the tone, then Berdych was able to finish the job setting up a fun tie with Serbia.


Berdych and Stepanek

Serbia vs. Sweden

The Swedes did a brilliant job in the circumstances winning the doubles in a tough 5 setter and Filip Prpic who is very much part time at best managed to get 10 games.


Filip Prpic

Without Robin Söderling in singles they are poor at best, but they did themselves proud in tough circumstances.

Croatia vs. Japan

Ivo Karlovic take a bow he was the hero of the tie continuing on his excellent start to the season. After Dodig lost a 2 sets to 0 lead to Go Soeda, to put the visitors under pressure.

Karlovic took out the much vaunted and hyped Nishikori. Karlovic was serving from the tree, getting some brilliant angles in the process gaining confidence at the back dominating with the forehand and hitting the slice backhand short enough to get easy volleys. Karlovic holds the record on tour for the most service games won on percentage (91%), for someone who is on his worst days all serve, he broke Nishikori in all sets and beat him handily.

Croatia won the doubles, then Nishikori defeated a disappointing Dodig who is suffering from second season syndrome. It’s always difficult to back up after a big season, but he is a fighter and will recover his form. After that Karlovic took care of Soeda comfortably in straight sets, won the first set in a buster, after that he was able to continue from where he left off on Day 1.


Croatian Team

Argentina vs. Germany

The Germans were limited as to where they could hold this tie and they chose clay. It was done to suit Kohlschreiber, plus they thought del Potro was going to play, though the Tandil tower will play the next matches afterwards.

Petzschner played instead of Kohlschreiber who was a late withdrawal, he had these white compression socks, that almost made him look like a horse but it would never compare to the original Alberto Juantorena for horse like movement and grace. Pico Monaco was just too solid, classic workmanlike performance.


Jaite and Nalbandian

Florian Mayer made his comeback from hip problems, there were some glimpses there but Nalbandian was too tough and winning the Davis Cup is pretty much driving Nalbandian these days. Edu Schwank probably didn’t plan to become a doubles specialist but at the moment this is the path that seems to be working for him. His singles career hasn’t developed as well as he would have liked, but he is an asset to the team with his doubles play, coming back from 0-2 sets down to clinch the tie will give him more confidence, which perhaps can lead to improved singles results.

This year Argentina will have plenty of home ties, it’s about time they won the Davis Cup and excellent start from the new leadership group of Martin Jaite and Mariano Zabaleta, both very good men.


Jaite and Zabaleta

Group 1

Slovenia thumped Denmark 5-0 at home, which saw Kristian Pless who hasn’t played for around 4 years come out of retirement as Freddy Nielsen had no support at. Now the Slovenians will play South Africa, which will be at Johannesburg on the fastest court against Anderson and van der Merwe. In other words tall guys serving bombs, fun for Kavcic, Zemlja and Bedene.

Australians won very easily, they should make Playoffs again, the highlight was Geelong getting to see the Gooch.


Guccione

Colombia without Falla took down Ecuador who have no one especially since Gio Lapentti is injured, heck even if Nico Lapentti came out of retirement he’d still be their best player.


Santi Giraldo


Farah and Cabal

The situation is the same as Peru who fought valiantly against Uruguay, but the Uruguayans were too good, they didn’t need Pablo Cuevas who was named, though it was good for him to meet up with Lucho Horna the Peruvian captain, who would still be the best player in Peru.

Back in April more Davis Cup action.