Amer Delić returns to the winners circle and Indian Wells/Miami goes for too long

Distractions in the real world had put me off writing last week, but enough of this. Davis Cup is still a great event despite what these top player prima donnas think about it. Yes, Chardy was labelled as a brainless ball basher who makes PHM look like Einstein, while this is true he managed to get France get over the line and Golubev managed the same feat for Kazakhstan. Jakke Nieminen tried his best and always plays Davis Cup for Finland, but he couldn't overcome Blaz and the boys in Ljubljana.

Yes, there is some TMS event called Indian Wells at the moment and can't be bothered writing too much about it. It's a wank of an event having a 96 player draw going over 10 days, yes Miami is in the same boat but they have the Latino crowd which can give it some good atmosphere. Ideally they'd be reduced to a 64 player draw and cut it down to a week for each event, yes it's a coast to coast flight but they can handle it. Seems to be Ok for the Americans to whine about being Europe for too long during the clay season, but if it goes the other way then they are crybabies. South Americans and Aussies don't get it so easy when it comes to travel on the global tennis circus.

We all love a story that has a good ending, well sometimes we do. This one one of these cases the comeback kid Amer Delić won the Sarajevo Challenger, the first player representing Bosnia to win a title, yes Cilic, Dodig and Ljubicic are from Bosnia but play their trade for Croatia. Delić is back now playing for Bosnia after several years playing for the USA. He explains it himself as to why he decided to switch allegiance, the lure of playing Davis Cup and the Olympics didn't hurt Amer Delic on playing for Bosnia

After being out of tennis for 14 months due to knee surgery, so many different thoughts would be going through Delić's mind, there are the hours upon hours of rehabilitation, the doubts about whether they can make it back on the tour, revaluation of goals. Another thing is well that happens in tough times in any field, you find out who your true friends are and the people that want to know, it's very easy to hang around, congratulate and be good to people when things are going well, as soon as it goes to shit be it through whatever circumstances many of these same people fade from the scene.

The Aus Open missed Delić this year, he loves Court 13 with the big battles he had out there. In 2008 where he qualified without losing a set, taking out Kendrick and then losing a 5 set thriller against Juan Monaco coming back from 2 sets to 0 down. The local Bosnians got behind him big time and for the most part were fine, sadly there were a few arse clowns who didn't realise that it wasn't football. Next year he came back as a LL in qualies, took out Dent in 5 sets and then he got the comeback this time against Paul Henri "Einstein" Mathieu and the atmosphere was rollicking this day.

Challengers after Davis Cup week are always interesting as surprising results are the norm, due to the travel factor and also celebrating the wins with their team mates takes a toll. Sarajevo is unusually for a tennis tournament these days played on a fast surface indoors, so it makes Delić's win the more rewarding. He came from Morocco playing on the clay and some flight issues, naturally he used the wildcard here instead of using protected ranking.

The fast, low bouncing surface suiting his game had a tough 1st rounder against improving Estonian Jurgen Zopp took him down in straight sets. Huge 2nd round match with Andi Beck where every set went to the buster and pulling through gave him the confidence taking out Martin Fischer only needed one tiebreaker in this one. The semi final against another attacking player and big server Nicolas Mahut, thought this one was going to go to 3 tie break sets only the last one went to the buster. Delic delighting the home crowd winning 7-6 (8), it would have been odds at about 1.05 that Mahut's hair would be still stylish with gel after this tough loss.
Next was Karol Beck who withdrew in the warm up with a back problem, it's not the best way to win a title on a walkover.

At the same time Delić deserves a bit of luck after batting through quite a tough draw, being out of the game for over a year with injury and adjusting from the clay to a fast low bouncing indoor surface. The crowd weren't too disappointed with the result and the hopefully Delic can use the momentum of this tournament victory to maximise his potential.

2011 Davis Cup World Group Preview. Bring back Rios and Zivojinovic

Davis Cup 2011

This time of the tennis calendar is contentious, no matter what seems to happen with Davis Cup, there is some form of whining albeit in different forms.

Lets start with the usual excuses, the top players don’t want to play, so lets make some changes because many of them are over pampered and putting their careers first, which is naturally their choice. These have included stuff like giving the players ranking points was a joke initially and still is a joke, just a way of getting them to play. The schedule is another excuse that prevents them playing, but the schedule has been shit for years and not going to change at any point soon.

2011 will be different in having a higher participation rate than usual, so they are eligible to play at the 2012 Olympics. As for other incentives been spoken about are moronic things like playing at one venue, which will further dilute the unique Davis Cup qualities but not surprising in the least in the world of homogenisation within the tennis sphere. So, how will the federations the smaller ones especially gain any revenue if they aren’t able to host Davis Cup ties in their own countries. Yes, there are definite problems about how the money filters through down to the tennis development level, if it doesn’t end up being pocketed by federation people who should be facilitating tennis development and not their bank balances.

The other one that gets trotted out a lot is to play it every 2 years, who does this benefit? It’s not like it’s going to make it any more prestigious winning the Davis Cup. The timing of the 1st round has changed, it used to be first week after the Australian Open and could see how this was problematic for the superstars, so they changed it and still it hasn’t changed the participation rate of these guys. Even better when it’s Roger “I care and love the history of the game” Federer, who routinely turns his back on committing properly to Switzerland in Davis Cup, considering Davis Cup is one of the most historical events in tennis, then this is misleading at best or hypocritical at worst.

One thing that could be done for the World Group is reduce it to 14 teams instead of 16. This would give the finalists a bye to the quarter finals and then they would play the 6 winners of the 1st round ties. Yes, it’s a reward for making the finals but the quarter finalists and first round losers in World Group would have to playoff for their spots in the World Group against the zonal winners as happens now.

Onto the ties, some of these won’t be very long to discuss.

Serbia vs. India

This should have been played this on clay, just to compound the beating that will take place. Then again if it was on clay, then Slobodan Zivojinovic could have come out of retirement in his 110kg frame and still win a match.

Paes/Bhupati will be the best chance for a victory to the Indians, who have done well to gain a place in the World Group. Djokovic loves playing for his country and the people of Novi Sad will be breaking out the rakija on Day 2.

Sweden vs. Russia

The Russians aren’t the force they were in recent times with the Colonel retiring from Davis Cup play and Davydenko in poor form. They have a team of Andreev who has been playing on the clay all season, not having great results, the tsunami Gabashvili where anything can and will happen with him. Kunitsyn who peaks for the Kremlin Cup and Tursunov, who has been improving after long term injury problems. It’s far from their strongest team but still a competitive unit.

As the great man Robert “Brad Pitt” Lindstedt said after his calf problem, things are desperate they need me to play Davis Cup. While he was joking, the facts are the Swedes need him, especially in absence of a reliable number 2 to Robin Söderling since Vinciguerra has virtually retired and Pim-PIm Johansson who is playing here, just don’t know how long he lasts before he breaks down.

This will be a very fast indoor court which the Russians won’t mind, but the Toad Söderling should win both his singles and the Swedes are better in the doubles, at least this tie has potential to be tight.

Czech Republic vs. Kazakhstan

The two man Czech team that was very common in the last 2 seasons of Berdych and sexy Stepanek won’t be on show here, as Thunder Lips Stepanek won’t be playing. So Jaro Navratil will have some juggling to do here with the second singles players. Normally it would be the :Prostejov King” Jan Hajek, who hasn’t been performing at all this season, well he has been performing tricks but that's another story, and Vesely is in the squad.

Russia 2 aka Kazakhstan Golubev, Korolev, Kukushkin and Schukin are all Russian. Apart from Schukin the other 3 don’t mind the ballbashing and this can work well indoors, but the Czechs should get home and finally Lukas “Dropshot” Dlouhy should be playing doubles with Berdych and this combo will get the cash for the Czechs and they will need the Sexy one back for the quarter finals.

Argentina vs. Romania

Not even close to the golden generation of Argentine tennis but this will be a comfortable win for them. Nalle and Monaco should play singles, maybe Chela and Schwank can play doubles or one of the reverse singles.

The Romanians will enjoy Buenos Aires it’s a great city, dulce de leche, great beef and fine women, because tennistically this won’t be too enjoyable. Andrei Pavel might as well play singles here.

Chile vs. USA

Too bad the big Chilean teddy bear as he was called once Fernando Gonzalez is out of the game for this one. With him perhaps he could have been inspired to win both singles and he could carry Massu in the doubles, where they always have the 2004 memories of winning doubles gold medals making a total of 0 volleys.

Marcelo Rios really should have been picked despite the back problem. As it stands Capdeville, Massu and Aguilar don’t have the goods to upset the Americans. In spite of Roddick moving like a constipated elephant on the clay, the best chance for the Chileans would be if one of the Bryans had to play singles. This scenario isn’t likely.

Belgium vs. Spain

Spain will win this fairly comfortably, the surface isn’t quick enough and the Belgians will have to maybe poison the Spaniards to win here. If Nadal has to play a live match on Day 3, then this is a success.

Croatia vs. Germany

Along with the Sweden/Russia tie, this has the best potential for a close result. Interesting they chose Zagreb where the crowd isn’t as volatile as they are in Split, and the conditions don’t favour any one team more than the other.

Cilic will start for Croatia and will be interesting to see how Dodig handles his Davis Cup debut. Two years ago, if someone said Dodig would be playing a live DC rubber then they’d ask you who their drug dealer was. I’m very happy for him for working so hard with limited ability. He won’t forget 2011 winning his first title in Zagreb and also playing a live Davis Cup tie. Karlovic should be playing the doubles.

Interesting or maybe not so interesting fact the whole German team are Bavarians and yes all of then Bayern Münich fans. Kohli, Florian “German Gigolo 2” Mayer, Picasso Petzschner and Kas. Picasso and Kas will more than likely play doubles, they have played quite a few times, leaving the other 2 to play singles.

Lots of possible interesting scenarios here, but Croatia should get it done, not that this is said with great confidence.

Austria vs. France

Two questions need to be raised here. Are there that many things going on in Vienna, that they have to play in the airport hangar. Yes, I was there and remember when they played a match in September at Prater Park. The hangar doesn’t quite have the same ring as the bullring in Nimes which the French once used, though better than the carpark that was used once by Spain.

Other question is whether Jürger Melzer will be Melzer or Melzclown which is something that has been too apparent in recent times when it comes to Davis Cup. He had his best year in 2010 and needs to build on that, especially since “El Fashionista” Koubek is on his last legs and Martin Fischer isn’t quite up to it.

As for France, they aren’t in the greatest shape got Simon who is allegedly injured he is almost as injured as Nadal. Llodra not at his best on clay, Benneteau who is still coming back from a long injury break and Jeremy Chardy who should be the captain of the French baseball or cricket team. Lucky this tie is indoors as Chardy would be hitting the aeroplanes trying to take off or land.

Melzer is the key to this tie, and he is comfortable in the doubles with Knowle. If he plays to his ability then Austria has great chances, if he shows his previous DC form then the French will be picking up ladies in the Viennese clubs and playing the reverse singles drunk.

Will add pictures later and there will be another Davis Cup entry tomorrow.