Who should be our Davis cup doubles pair ?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

RE: Who should be our Davis cup doubles pair ?

BeefyDeedz · Pro player

The Bryan brothers go beyond an established pairing and a scratch pairing nearly beat them. It is much more important for both Dom and Jamie (who were the right choice today) to go away, reach finals and gain confidence with their current partners than for them to try to make this a constant deal.

savva0122 · Intermediate Club Player

Absolutely right- both doing so well with their current partners

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

Your out of date your right by about 3 months ago !

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

Don't agree at all

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

Dom is doing well like I am in doubles because got Very strong partner not taking anything away from Dom work ethic is great but we do have better doubles players .

you cant knock the effort but they don't compliment each other very well . Dom would pair well with another big server .

for me a better all GB pair would be a fit colin Fleming and Jamie Murray .

other more talented GB players need to take note of what can be achieved if your 110% dedicated

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

Because they have partners that compliment their weaknesses .

indiana · Tennis legend

Explain to me, Gary, the overall benefits to Dom and Jamie of becoming a regular pair i.e. not just to the GB Davis Cup team, but to these two professional tennis players.

They are both in regular partnerships that have started the year very well, Dom in a fairly new one that has gelled quickly, Jamie in one that he established after a long issue with finding a partner that really suited him.

Gee, Dom and Jamie might not particularly like each other ( not suggesting for a moment that this is the case for I have no idea ) in which case establishing a regular partnership, being with each other throughout the yea, really wouldn't be on.

Anyway, even great mates, they have their partners, it's working, why change ?

I understand that you are a team man and want GB to do well, but there is a much bigger picture for Dom and Jamie.

indiana · Tennis legend

Ah, sorry Gary, posts crossed. I thought you were in favour of Dom and Jamie becoming a regular team, and were disagreeing with us who were suggesting otherwise.

I forgot that you don't hugely rate Dom in spite of his success with Huey, his quickly found success with Mergea and, for my part, the evidence of my eyes.

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

Coup Droit wrote:
Yes, I agree, Indy.

Would be utterly daft (IMHO) for Dom and Jamie to play together more during the year just because it might (might) help the Davis Cup.

Their careers are far more important (and, indeed, if you're not winning and lacking in confidence because you're trying to get extra matches with someone you wouldn't normally choose, that's hardly going to help).

Very few Davis Cup teams have established doubles pairs.

And, given that a completely scratch pair won Wimbledon this year, and that a completely scratch pair came very close to beating the world number one pair today, I think the 'established partnership' thing is over-egged.

Don't agree captain should reward all GB pairs that pair regularly together

Like I did in Aegon last year . It was key to our success as the victories often were a result of our doubles prowess

-- Edited by A1 tennis academy on Sunday 8th of March 2015 10:40:09 AM

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

if LTA have got over £600,000 for an unknown CEO they can afford to financially support the development of all GB pairs including investing in doubles pairs of the future . We have not won the davis cup since 1936 with Andy at the spearhead we have a unique chance so with the financial resources that the LTA have why not utilise every tool at their disposal . It's clear that British tennis has got past the taking part thing and clearly now are about winning consequently promising all GB pairs eg eg Skupski's should recieve specialist coaching . Noticed that Louis cayer is ringside how about utilising him ?

Rodger Draper felt it was worth investing in Lewis & Marcus as a few Davis cup doubles pair before he retired at my suggestion but the head of coaching knocked it back and now Lewis burton will be retiring Wast of a talented doubles player .

Everything else has been spot on but this is a missing part of the jig saw puzzle . I am very conscious of the importance of doubles in team tennis because in Aegon team tennis it's even more important . never lost an Aegon match county tier 1 , regional or national tier when been 2-2 after the singles .

It's also about investing in the team years in advance

-- Edited by A1 tennis academy on Sunday 8th of March 2015 10:55:58 AM

indiana · Tennis legend

Captains at Davis Cup level should pick the players that they think are best to get the overall win.

Sorry, but this "deserve" / "reward" business, when they may not be the best, does my nut in in Davis or Fed Cup ( as some folk may not have noticed over time ).

If there may ultimately be more benefits, maybe in the future, to the team winning, maybe OK, but otherwise no, just pick to win the tie at hand.

I like Leon, he picks to WIN !!

A1 tennis academy · Satellite level

Dom at Times looked clumsy , Jamie great hands but serve suspect . I think we can field a better doubles pair , I think we can develop and build a better doubles pair .

i know we can better invest in future doubles pairs . As a businessman I understand the importance of investment in the future

Not taking anything away from Leon or the team been best effort by a GB Davis cup team that I have ever witnessed but if we don't win the Davis cup then it could be looked back on as a missed opportunity because we won't always have Andy Murray .

Incentives and support for all best all GB pairs current & up and coming .

korriban · Challenger level

A1 tennis academy wrote:
Dom at Times looked clumsy , Jamie great hands but serve suspect . I think we can field a better doubles pair , I think we can develop and build a better doubles pair .
i know we can better invest in future doubles pairs . As a businessman I understand the importance of investment in the future
Not taking anything away from Leon or the team been best effort by a GB Davis cup team that I have ever witnessed but if we don't win the Davis cup then it could be looked back on as a missed opportunity because we won't always have Andy Murray .
Incentives and support for all best all GB pairs current & up and coming .

I thought they were playing the Bryan brothers, current world number 1 doubles team, multiple grand slam winners including holding all 4 titles simultaneously and the Olympics around the 2012 season, and arguably the greatest doubles pairing of all time. And they lost in 5 sets, 9-7 in the fifth. Not bad for a scratch pairing! I'm not a huge fan of Dom, but even I could see he's improved his doubles play tremendously in the last 2 years. Jamie can be weak at times, but there's lots to be improved, and his skill level is high. I have high expectations, and have the odd touch of cup half empty, but even I thought they played brilliantly, all things considered......just who are these other sleeping giants who you think we should be heavily investing in so that Leon doesn't waste our opportunity......

indiana · Tennis legend

Whatever stategy going forward, for now pick the two players for doubles that are considered best to win.

For specialist GB double players, to me, currently four and only four players merit being in the discussion - Dom, Jamie, Colin and Jonny. Andy, of course, comes into the consideration, generally depending on how ties are going. Now, different folk will see these four's merits for being picked in the team and / or in the doubles rubber differently.

For myself, I was happy both before and after with the Dom & Jamie pick. Inevitably there were some communication / misunderstanding issues with them not being remotely regular partners. But did that outweigh the fact that as individual doubles players they could be considered currently better than Colin and Jonny? For me, yes ( because I think there is currently enough daylight that they were a better choice than the regular Colin / Jonny partnership ) but I accept that there is a discussion to be had.

Running the Bryans so close does suggest that it wasn't the worst pick ever !