Talk About Tennis 2.0

JTContinental wrote: ↑Sat Apr 16, 2022 10:03 am ...
Swiatek continues to buzzsaw through her competition, losing only 1 game total in both of her singles matches.

I think she has the personality to be one of those players that will be very comfy as world #1. She will not feel any pressure to perform up to her ranking.

Deuce wrote: ↑Thu Apr 14, 2022 5:21 am Davis Cup was being played when singles players played a lot of doubles, and when the matches were best of 5 sets. I believe that the doubles matches were played in the middle of the singles matches then, as well (as I described above).
To my knowledge, no player ever died from this.

But on a different day..all this comes from playing the entire tie in 2 days instead of 3

Final Fed Cup results for this weekend...
Ukraine came back to tie it 2-2... then the U.S. won the doubles.

.

Deuce wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 11:46 pm

ashkor87 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 8:21 am Now that Svitolina is not playing, USA should progress easily..I really don't like doubles being last, though :- an after-thought..
They seem to be playing on the same surface as the USO..should be quick .. Collins will like it..

I agree - the doubles should be played in between the 4 singles matches (after the first 2 singles matches, and before the last 2).

After seeing that they cancelled the last match in 5/7 contests once it was over, I'm seeing more logic into putting doubles last.

JTContinental wrote: ↑Sun Apr 17, 2022 2:17 am

Deuce wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 11:46 pm

ashkor87 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 13, 2022 8:21 am Now that Svitolina is not playing, USA should progress easily..I really don't like doubles being last, though :- an after-thought..
They seem to be playing on the same surface as the USO..should be quick .. Collins will like it..

I agree - the doubles should be played in between the 4 singles matches (after the first 2 singles matches, and before the last 2).

After seeing that they cancelled the last match in 5/7 contests once it was over, I'm seeing more logic into putting doubles last.

But that's exactly the point... the doubles is insignificant in the majority of ties when it's scheduled last. So the winner is decided via the singles only.
Playing the doubles after the first 2 singles would mean that it's always relevant - and so that way, you'd have at least 2 singles matches and the doubles match which are relevant... and potentially 4 players on each team who contribute to the win, rather than just the 2 singles players contributing. As it is a team competition, I feel that the more team members that directly contribute, the better.

When doubles is played last, sure, it can be the dramatic decider. But that doesn't happen often. I think it would be better to guarantee that both singles and doubles ALWAYS contribute.

Plus, I'm sure that the doubles specialists - when they are present on the team - WANT to contribute, as doubles receives so little attention/respect/recognition throughout the year.

Commendable that Swiatek turned out for BJK..she doesn't even need the practice..unlike Raducanu etc..nice wins by Rybakina, should give her confidence...

Some players will show up for their country. I believe that Iga is one of them.
I remember that McEnroe, at the top of his bratty years, told everybody: "If it is Davis Cup, just tell me when and where". It meant something for him to wear that flag.
The Argentinians will also always show up for country cups. It means something to them.

Because we will have this competition in predictions:
Sept 13-18
Group A. Bologna, ITA.
Argentina, Sweden, Croatia, Italy
Group B. Valencia, ESP.
Canada, Korea, Spain, Serbia
Group C. Hamburg, GER
Belgium, Australia, France, Germany.
Group D. Glascow, GBR
Kazakstan, Nederland, Great Britain, USA.

Korea vs. Canada was interesting...
Pospisil beat Hong Seong-Chan in 3 sets (2 out of 3) in the first singles match...
Then Kwon Soonwoo beat Felix in straight sets in the second singles match. Felix was up 3-0 and 4-1 in the 1st set, and seemingly in control over his lower-ranked opponent, but then Kwon Soonwoo began playing probably the best tennis of his life... Felix was shell-shocked. He had absolutely no idea what to do to get himself back in the match. Halfway through the 2nd set and down 2 breaks, Felix had triple break point, and ended up losing the game. That was the final nail in the coffin.

Canada (Pospisil and Felix) came back to gut out a win in the doubles in 3 sets. The momentum was going back and forth until Canada took control about halfway through that final set.

This format is horrible, though, with every country except one playing in neutral territory. A lot of the fun of Davis Cup over the years has been the visiting country having to deal with and try to overcome the court and the crowd. It really felt like country vs. country - which was the original purpose of Davis Cup. But now, it feels just like a country team vs. a country team - the court and crowd are neutral (and mostly indifferent).
This is a big part of the plan that the powers that be have to destroy Davis Cup, and to replace it with one gimmicky event or other.
It’s quite sad.

Canada plays Spain next - on Friday. At least there will be some atmosphere on that day, with Spain being the host country.

Canada vs. host Spain today...
Bautista-Agut lost the 1st set, but beat Pospisil in 3.

Felix's inconsistency carries over to Davis Cup... After a disappointing performance in singles against Korea, where he looked very uncomfortable, he has come back strong and played an excellent match vs. Alcaraz (and the Spanish crowd) today, losing a tiebreak 1st set, then rebounding to win the last 2 sets in impressive fashion 6-4, 6-2.
Doubles is coming up.

Deuce wrote: ↑Fri Sep 16, 2022 7:50 pm Canada vs. host Spain today...
Bautista-Agut lost the 1st set, but beat Pospisil in 3.

Felix's inconsistency carries over to Davis Cup... After a disappointing performance in singles against Korea, where he looked very uncomfortable, he has come back strong and played an excellent match vs. Alcaraz (and the Spanish crowd) today, losing a tiebreak 1st set, then rebounding to win the last 2 sets in impressive fashion 6-4, 6-2.
Doubles is coming up.

Canada came back to win the doubles, and take the tie 2-1 over Spain.
In the doubles match, Canada (Felix and Pospisil) lost the 1st set, then won the 2nd, and came back from being a break down in the 3rd - they broke back on their last chance with some great returns to even it at 5-5, then held, then broke again with more great returns.
Martinez and Granollers were the Spanish doubles team.

Could this be the turning point in Felix's career; the point where he stops with the 3 steps forward followed by 3 steps back; the point where he finally breaks free of whatever has been holding him back?
Well, I've hoped for that to happen several times before...

The main reason I'm disliking this new format is that they got rid of 5-setters. IMO some of the best and thrilling moments of DC were linked to these mathces.

mick1303 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 17, 2022 9:54 am The main reason I'm disliking this new format is that they got rid of 5-setters. IMO some of the best and thrilling moments of DC were linked to these mathces.

I wish they would find a way to make this event relevant to the sporting world in general. There is no coverage or interest in the broader sports world, and it doesn't even seem to be making much impact in the tennis world either.

And that's exactly the way that the tennis 'higher ups' want it. They are doing everything possible to make Davis Cup insignificant and/or unpopular... so that they can 'replace' it with various gimmick exhibitions, which they'll market the hell out of, and make obscene profits for themselves and the sponsors.