posted Feb 10, 2008

I think what is apparent, is that the actual format of the competition needs to change. There needs to be a week, or even 2 weeks set aside for the whole competition so that players can schedule more effectively, more team spirit is created and more interest is generated by the event.
I'm sure that all of the big names would be likely to commit to this; it wouldn't be a case of chopping and changing between surfaces. The host could change for every competition and it needn't be held every year.
At the moment it seems as though some of the top players treat Davis Cup like their footballing counterparts treat international friendlies. They're often carrying a niggle and don't necessarily want to be there, unless it is an important match, ie. a play off or a final.
Also, the final is always the last event of the year when most players are showing signs of burn out.
Therefore, there should be a World Cup style format which only takes a small portion of the calendar. Perhaps entry conditions could be similar to the World Team Cup which is held before the French Open: it is dependent on the ranking of the top players in that country.

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posted Feb 10, 2008

At least Djokovic gave it a shot which is more than can be said for a certain British player!

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posted Feb 10, 2008

i hav 2 say congrats 2 djoko for giving his all even tho he was ill.

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posted Feb 10, 2008

I would like to commend the comments made by guitar77. I have played tennis in Belgium and France and there it is more accessibe to miidle/working class people and there is a bigger hunger to succeed. It's no accident that over the last decade women's tennis in Belgium reached dizzying heights and currently in France there are about 10 players in the ATP top 50.The more people get to join clubs and play tournaments the more top juniors will be nurtured by the system. It seems that the LTA is all about money, spending on a multi-million facility like Roehampton but will more than likely yield no more exceptional players than before. Take leaf out of Pat Cash's book, bring the sport to the masses, and tennis will be transformed for ever in the UK, inevitably bringing great results for the new crop of talent.

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posted Feb 10, 2008

Well, all the results are in, apart from Peru-Spain, compared to my predictions. My guesses are in brachets:

Russia 3 (3)
Serbia 2 (2)

Belgium 2 (1)
Czech Republic 3 (4)

Argentina 4 (4)
Great Briatain 1 (1)

Sweden 3 (3)
Israel 2 (2)

Korea Rep 2 (2)
Germany 3 (3)

Peru 0 (1)
Spain 3 (4)

Romania 0 (0)
France 5 (5)

Austria 1 (0)
USA 4 (5)

Not bad predictions. I got 5 perfect scores with the other results all correct!

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posted Feb 10, 2008

Does anybody else find it odd that, after rumours of Tommy Haas being poisoned during a davis cup match against Russia, Djokovic and Tipsarevic both fall ill? Hmmm

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posted Feb 10, 2008

Djokovic had the flu and was too much of a wimp to play on Friday, Tipsarevic had a thigh injury, end of story, stop reading too many Le Carre novels.

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posted Feb 10, 2008

if djokovic was a wimp he would not have turned up, stop talking nonsense. as it is he did show up and won his doubles match and was actually a set up in his singles match.

The guy is a champion as he proved winning the aussie open beating federer, tsonga and numerous other top players.

fair play to him playing despite being sick and even then still coming out on top while he was playing, makes him even more of a winner!

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posted Feb 10, 2008

He is a wimp.

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posted Feb 11, 2008

if djokovic was a wimp he would not have turned up, stop talking nonsense.

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Agreed, however he should not have played if there was a chance he would not be able to finish the match.

Anyway, all eight ties went to the favourites (in reality only Russia/Serbia might have been close) adn no-one really cared regardless.

If Tennis wants us to care ebout the Davis Cup then make a bog deal out of it, keep the week beforehand spare so that players can train on the right surfaces and rest any niggles.

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