Davis Cup QF

Serbia V GB

No Novak and, in all likelihood, no Andy (except for in a cheerleading capacity). Lajovic, Krajinovic against Evans and Edmund doesn't sound as enticing. GB has the higher ranked singles players and should win the doubles. However, given its on clay and Serbia may also use former top tenner Tipsarevic, I think Serbia will take this. 4-1 Serbia. 

Italy v Argentina


Tough match to call. I presume Argentina will use Del Potro in at least one singles and Pella is also a decent clay-courter. Italy have three top 50 players to choose from - Fognini, Seppi and Lorenzi. Given Fognini may get inspired and Italy should win the doubles, I'm picking them 3-2.


Czech Republic v France


No Berdych, Simon, Monfils or Gasquet. Tsonga is therefore the star name, supported by Pouille, against Vesely and Rosol. Can't see France losing this even without their full singles squad - they also have the world's best doubles pair in case the singles goes wrong. 4-1 France.

USA v Croatia


Isner and Sock against Cilic and Coric in the singles. Bryans playing the doubles. Cilic could realistically win both but I can't see Coric winning either on current form. 4-1 USA.

I'd be surprised if Serbia won 4-1. I expect Edmund to beat their n°2, and GB to win the doubles, meaning GB would need one more win. Don't suppose Andy could be tempted for one of the singles on Sunday if needed? Put Inglot in as the second singles player on the Friday and bring Andy in on the Sunday as a replacement? Is Troicki not playing for Serbia? I fancy GB to sneak this one 3-1 or 3-2.

Italy I think will benefit enough from home advantage to take it 3-1.

Czech Republic vs France could be interesting. I'm not sure what Vesely's record in DC is, but he strikes me as one who could be inspired by the home crowd. France should win the doubles, but singles harder to call. On paper, Tsonga takes the two points which is enough, but how well will he have recovered from a tough Wimbledon? I'm going to go for the surprise upset here and go with Czech Republic 3-2.

Fancy US to beat Croatia. Coric not in the best of form and US at home: 3-1 or 3-2 for me.

Erm, not sure why I said 4-1. I was thinking Gb would win 1 singles but forgot about the doubles in my maths! So, I'm really saying Serbia 3-2.

Troicki isn't playing.

Give GB a live chance in all four singles rubbers, especially Edmund v Krajinovic. It is on clay isn't it? Not sure that suits Evans and James Ward is in terrible form. I go 3-2 GB. Evans will win one singles or Edmund both plus the doubles.

I think Italy v Argentina will be 3-2 either way.

France should win. 4-1.

US 3-2.

Evans out with a shoulder injury according to BBC.

So James Ward and Kyle Edmund to play the singles.

Future of British mens tennis, Kyle Edmund, beats Tipsarevic in straight sets, with the last set being a bagel. Excellent big hitting, but maybe Tipsarevic a little match rusty.

Good win for Kyle.

Rosol beat Tsonga in 5 but Pouille recovered the situation by beating Vesely in straights. Great win for him under pressure.

Sock just beat Cilic from 2 sets down, so USA in control. Argentina 1-0 against Italy.

James Ward currently playing like a Futures player. Currently 1-6 0-3 down and is barely winning a point. This is going to knock the morale of the GB team.

Hmm, Argentina win the doubles. That should be enough for them to see off Italy, as I can't see them losing both singles tomorrow. 

Czech Rep pushed Mahut/Herbert to 5 but France get the win for a 2-1 lead. Should be comfortable now.

Agonising watching Edmund get broken serving for the match - can he hold here to take to tie break?

PS Hi Lydian - thanks for welcome on other thread

Tiebreak - I hates 'em!

phew, phew, triple phew!

Well done Kyle Edmund, Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot


tremendous result to reach the semis without Andy playing

Unbelievable. Britain through to another World Group semi-final. Kyle Edmund the best player in the quarter-final. Excellent performance by Britain's double's team. Fantastic support from the British spectators. The only downside was James Ward who played without confidence and looked completely out of his depth. It has been said that he wasn't expecting to play. If Liam Broady was fit maybe he was the one that should have stepped in - but I guess James Ward was the obvious choice - he just didn't perform well.

Interesting interview from Kyle Edmund - explaining you have to train as you would play in a match - at the same intensity (hitting the ball hard) for several hours mimicking match conditions. Gives an insight of the effort and dedication one needs on the training side of professional tennis - he definitely gives the impression it requires a full time commitment. Then one has to maintain ones health through all of this.

So 3 ties decided - 3-1 Argentina as Del Bonis beats Fognini and 3-1 France as Tsonga beats Vesely. USA need one of tonight's two singles to join them. If so, SF will be:

GB v Argentina
USA v France

Well done Kyle. Held the nerves together after being broken when serving for the match and being a mini-break down in the tie break. Should be a good experience for his career going forward. Good win overall for GB.

Cilic smashed up Isner in straight sets, so it's a Sock v Coric decider. Coric 2 sets to 1 up with a break in the 4th. Will be a crushing defeat for USA who led 2-0!

Croatia did complete the great fightback, so USA go out! Ties are therefore:

Croatia v France
GB v Argentina

I think I'm right in saying GB will be away if they make the final, regardless of who it's against.

I thought the commentators mentioned that Croatia would be at home? May be wrong though. France would certainly be away, and they start as favourites against Croatia IMO.

Think GB start as decent favourites against Argentina if Murray plays. I imagine it will be in Glasgow on HC to make his transition easier, though you could make a decent case for clay actually being GB's best surface right now, given Edmund...

Born Slippy wrote:Cilic smashed up Isner in straight sets, so it's a Sock v Coric decider. Coric 2 sets to 1 up with a break in the 4th. Will be a crushing defeat for USA who led 2-0!

It'll likely end Courier's reign. I like Jim, but wonder if he's the right person to lead a team that need coaxing and an arm around the shoulder - he's certainly been very critical of Isner in the past (in his commentaries)

Ah yes, it would be at home - I'd remembered the 07 match but forgot we'd played them away in 2013.

France must surely be favourites for the whole thing. Given they have the worlds number 1 doubles pair?

If GB get to the final against France you would certainly back Murray to win two singles and Edmund to lose his two...

Guest82 wrote:France must surely be favourites for the whole thing.  Given they have the worlds number 1 doubles pair?

If GB get to the final against France you would certainly back Murray to win two singles and Edmund to lose his two...

A double containing the Murray brothers would be favourite against any "specialist" double pair as seen in the past. I think the specialist doubles are slightly overrated and once the top 4 single guys gets involved in double they usually find it relatively easy. If France goes through (not easy as well) they should probably select the quickest indoor carpet they can in order to try to level the playing field (clay would be a mistake in my opinion unless Monfils is the only available player).
Also read somewhere that the Davis cup would now be on a neutral ground anyway. Not sure when this is effective though.

whocares wrote:

Guest82 wrote:France must surely be favourites for the whole thing.  Given they have the worlds number 1 doubles pair?

If GB get to the final against France you would certainly back Murray to win two singles and Edmund to lose his two...

A double containing the Murray brothers would be favourite against any "specialist" double pair as seen in the past. I think the specialist doubles are slightly overrated and once the top 4 single guys gets involved in double they usually find it relatively easy. If France goes through (not easy as well) they should probably select the quickest indoor carpet they can in order to try to level the playing field (clay would be a mistake in my opinion  unless Monfils is the only available player).
Also read somewhere that the Davis cup would now be on a neutral ground anyway. Not sure when this is effective though.

I'd back Herbet/Mahut against the Murray brothers. Although doubles is more unpredictable in general.

Didn't Nadal and Djokovic play together a few years back and lost in the first round. I think it was the first time the singles 1 & 2 had played together in 20 years or something.

According to David Law on the latest Tennis Podcast, Kyle Edmund has been anointed as the new Jim Courier .

Admittedly i haven't yet listened to it, but I hope he's joking - as talk about unnecessary and (as yet) unwarranted pressure?! He also now has arguably the biggest forehand in the game...

Would be nice if Kyle could cement his position of being a good, talented Top 100 player professional for the next few months, before the inevitable talk of potential Grand Slam victory from a desperate media. Swiftly followed by the inevitable assassination of his tennis abilities following a battling 3rd Round, 5 set loss against Alexander Dolgopolov at the US Open.
He clearly has a good future ahead of him and some of the weapons to do damage (movement needs to improve however) but the fawning desperation of the UK media sometimes (in all sports) is really nauseating.