Davis Cup 2013 Thread

[Clarky21]

Originally Posted by librarysteg

Did you see Team Serbia has been complaining about the courts in Belgium?

http://www.supersport.com/tennis/art...spx?Id=1776224

Djokovic and the rest of his Serbian team are unhappy that a clay surface has been laid on top of a parquet floor.

"This is definitely the worst court we have ever played on," he told a news conference on Thursday. "We're all putting our health at stake here.

"How is it possible that a clay court can be solid and can be a successful, playable court if it's built on parquet? We tried to slide a few times ... but our feet stayed under ground."

You know what's even worse than this? The fact that Lance showed up with 2 bodyguards and team from the Serbian Police. He also has 13 personal security men that were assigned to him by the Belgian Tennis Federation. How can Lance fans not laugh at this kind of nonsense? He really thinks too highly of himself that much is clear.

[Gonzo_style]

Originally Posted by Clarky21

You know what's even worse than this? The fact that Lance showed up with 2 bodyguards and team from the Serbian Police. He also has 13 personal security men that were assigned to him by the Belgian Tennis Federation. How can Lance fans not laugh at this kind of nonsense? He really thinks too highly of himself that much is clear.

They protect him from you Clarky

[librarysteg]

Originally Posted by Clarky21

You know what's even worse than this? The fact that Lance showed up with 2 bodyguards and team from the Serbian Police. He also has 13 personal security men that were assigned to him by the Belgian Tennis Federation. How can Lance fans not laugh at this kind of nonsense? He really thinks too highly of himself that much is clear.

Is this typical for him or something unique to this tournament? I don't know anything about this side of tennis for any of the players. I'd imagine a lot of the bigger names travel with some type of security, don't they?

[Clarky21]

Originally Posted by librarysteg

Is this typical for him or something unique to this tournament? I don't know anything about this side of tennis for any of the players. I'd imagine a lot of the bigger names travel with some type of security, don't they?

Nadal doesn't, and I have never heard of Fed travelling with any bodyguards either.

Nadal played in Charleroi for DC in 2011 and didn't have this kind of nonsense following him around. And thank goodness he didn't because I would have been embarrassed for him.

[ruerooo]

Originally Posted by kishnabe

What I saw from the Spanish Duo in 2012 DC finals....is convincing that Canada has doubles in the bag.

M&M have ten doubles titles. Nestor/Pospisil may have beaten Nadal/Djokovic in one Masters tournament, but I really don't think one can automatically leap from there to "they have it in the bag" for Davis Cup, against a completely different team.

[ruerooo]

Originally Posted by librarysteg

Is this typical for him or something unique to this tournament? I don't know anything about this side of tennis for any of the players. I'd imagine a lot of the bigger names travel with some type of security, don't they?

Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. That one time Roger had trouble, they had to assign him security once he got to China because he hadn't traveled with any. Rafa doesn't really like to travel with too much security, so they assign him more once he shows up here to the USO so he won't get fan-mobbed.

What I think Clarky is taking issue with -- though I don't presume to speak for him/her -- is the ostensible degree of caution ... like, it's one thing to have two or three bodyguards, but are twenty really necessary?

Though I guess if you're a citizen of a war-torn country, your perspective on that might well be different. (Though I also can't see it traveling to ... you know, Belgium. On the other hand, I was a Rafa fan sitting (unwittingly) among several drunk Novak fans at the 2010 USO, where seats are assigned, and I was seriously contemplating asking security there whether I could move because I was concerned for my own safety.)

[librarysteg]

Originally Posted by Clarky21

Nadal doesn't, and I have never heard of Fed travelling with any bodyguards either.

Nadal played in Charleroi for DC in 2011 and didn't have this kind of nonsense following him around. And thank goodness he didn't because I would have been embarrassed for him.

That's refreshing that it's not the norm. Do you know if Djokovic has done this for a while or if it's new? Unless he's had some kind of threat, it does seem over-the-top.

[Moose Malloy]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP)—John Isner will play the No. 1 singles spot for the U.S. team against Brazil in the first round of Davis Cup World Group matches.

Team captain Jim Courier made the announcement Thursday at the draw ceremony.

Isner has not played competitively since withdrawing from his opening-round match at the APIA International Sydney three weeks ago with a knee injury.

Sam Querrey will play the No. 2 position. Mike and Bob Bryan will be the doubles team.

The Brazilian team will consist of singles players Thomaz Bellucci and Thiago Alves and the doubles team of Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares. Querrey will play Bellucci in Friday's opening match followed by the Isner-Alves match.

The three-day event begins Friday at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/...-brazil/46246/

[librarysteg]

Originally Posted by Moose Malloy

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/...-brazil/46246/

That's good. Hopefully this means Isner is back to 100%.

[Grgisme]

Originally Posted by Clarky21

You know what's even worse than this? The fact that Lance showed up with 2 bodyguards and team from the Serbian Police. He also has 13 personal security men that were assigned to him by the Belgian Tennis Federation. How can Lance fans not laugh at this kind of nonsense? He really thinks too highly of himself that much is clear.

There's a lot of Albanian immigration in Charleroi. They have been receiving threats. Unfortunately, primitives still want to fight on both sides (both Serbian and Albanian). Inform yourself before you post nonsense.

[Clarky21]

Originally Posted by Grgisme

There's a lot of Albanian immigration in Charleroi. They have been receiving threats. Unfortunately, primitives still want to fight on both sides (both Serbian and Albanian). Inform yourself before you post nonsense.

What threats? Proof or it didn't happen.

[Down_the_line]

Draw for Canada vs Spain is out:

Event Representing Canada Representing Spain
1st Singles Rubber – Friday, February 1, 1:00 p.m. PT Milos Raonic Albert Ramos
2nd Singles Rubber – Friday, February 1 Frank Dancevic Marcel Granollers
Doubles Rubber – Saturday, February 2, 1:00 p.m. PT Daniel Nestor/Vasek Pospisil Marcel Granollers/Marc Lopez
3rd Singles Rubber – Sunday, February 3, 11:00 a.m. PT Milos Raonic Marcel Granollers
4th Singles Rubber – Sunday, February 3 Frank Dancevic Albert Ramos

Wow, although I'm excited that Canada has a great shot to win this tie, it feels a bit cheap because Spain's top 3 players - Nadal, Ferrer and Almagro - aren't playing.

Regardless, I hope Canada seizes this opportunity. A victory in this tie, regardless of Spain's weaker roster, would still be huge.

GO CANADA!!

[InvisibleSoul]

Originally Posted by ruerooo

M&M have ten doubles titles. Nestor/Pospisil may have beaten Nadal/Djokovic in one Masters tournament, but I really don't think one can automatically leap from there to "they have it in the bag" for Davis Cup, against a completely different team.

It was Raonic/Pospisil that beat Nadal/Djokovic in doubles at the Rogers Cup.

[ruerooo]

Originally Posted by Down_the_line

Draw for Canada vs Spain is out:

Event Representing Canada Representing Spain
1st Singles Rubber – Friday, February 1, 1:00 p.m. PT Milos Raonic Albert Ramos
2nd Singles Rubber – Friday, February 1 Frank Dancevic Marcel Granollers
Doubles Rubber – Saturday, February 2, 1:00 p.m. PT Daniel Nestor/Vasek Pospisil Marcel Granollers/Marc Lopez
3rd Singles Rubber – Sunday, February 3, 11:00 a.m. PT Milos Raonic Marcel Granollers
4th Singles Rubber – Sunday, February 3 Frank Dancevic Albert Ramos

Wow, although I'm excited that Canada has a great shot to win this tie, it feels a bit cheap because Spain's top 3 players - Nadal, Ferrer and Almagro - aren't playing.

Regardless, I hope Canada seizes this opportunity. A victory in this tie, regardless of Spain's weaker roster, would still be huge.

GO CANADA!!

Well ... to be fair, Rafa, Ferru, and Feli all said that they wouldn't be participating in DC this year, after the last tie.

And the news that Nico would be pulling out with an injury didn't hit the interwebs until early last week. I think he went further in the AO than most expected him to, and he played some hard matches.

That said, I think the doubles will be the tournament blockbuster. Kind of excited for that.

[ruerooo]

Originally Posted by InvisibleSoul

It was Raonic/Pospisil that beat Nadal/Djokovic in doubles at the Rogers Cup.

Thank you. It's been a minute -- when was that match, 2009? -- so I figured I had at least one of them wrong.

I also figured, this being TW, that someone would correct me.

[CDNguy87]

Originally Posted by ruerooo

Thank you. It's been a minute -- when was that match, 2009? -- so I figured I had at least one of them wrong.

I also figured, this being TW, that someone would correct me.

2010 (I remember because the men were in Toronto that year).

[CDNguy87]

Originally Posted by Down_the_line

Draw for Canada vs Spain is out:

Event Representing Canada Representing Spain
1st Singles Rubber – Friday, February 1, 1:00 p.m. PT Milos Raonic Albert Ramos
2nd Singles Rubber – Friday, February 1 Frank Dancevic Marcel Granollers
Doubles Rubber – Saturday, February 2, 1:00 p.m. PT Daniel Nestor/Vasek Pospisil Marcel Granollers/Marc Lopez
3rd Singles Rubber – Sunday, February 3, 11:00 a.m. PT Milos Raonic Marcel Granollers
4th Singles Rubber – Sunday, February 3 Frank Dancevic Albert Ramos

Wow, although I'm excited that Canada has a great shot to win this tie, it feels a bit cheap because Spain's top 3 players - Nadal, Ferrer and Almagro - aren't playing.

Regardless, I hope Canada seizes this opportunity. A victory in this tie, regardless of Spain's weaker roster, would still be huge.

GO CANADA!!

Just as I suspected. I'm almost certain Canada will sub in Pospisil for Dancevic if the 5th rubber proves decisive. Smart move keeping him fresher for the doubles match and the singles tie where he'll have a much better chance of pulling off an upset....having him waste his energy in a probably hopeless match against Granollers on Day 1 would have been pretty stupid.

[wintintu]

blog updated for Davis Cup!

[jaggy]

Canada Spain could be real close, I think canada will edge it

[librarysteg]

Originally Posted by jaggy

Canada Spain could be real close, I think canada will edge it

I've picked Canada for the Sudden Death League. Go Canada!