Davis Cup Semis and Play Offs + Final

JonH · All-time great

Davis Cup Semis and Play Offs + Final

Spectator · All-time great

That's a win. Great stuff. Conserve the energy.

JonH · All-time great

Spectator wrote:
That's a win. Great stuff. Conserve the energy.

You know, Goffin could well (should) beat Tsonga in the 4th match so this tie is v likely to go to a 5th rubber. Darcis has shown he can be a clutch player and I dont think Pouille and Gasquet have shown that in their careers. Belgium could very well stand a good chance in this tie! Although Tsonga is winning comfortably so far in the 2nd rubber v Darcis...6-2 2-0 at the moment

-- Edited by JonH on Friday 24th of November 2017 04:44:35 PM

Spectator · All-time great

Yes, that's clearly what they've been afraid of all along. And it's why, while I object to the manner of the announcement, I have some sympathy for the decision to go with a third singles player. The doubles is Belgium's weak link. If it comes down to a 5th, Pouille (though one of my favourites of the younger generation) can be fragile. Darcis (though this match didn't show him in top form) is not. I might want another option too if the situation arose and I were Yannick Noah. The fact that his other choice is Gasquet makes it all a little curious...

The big question now is a tactical one for Belgium. Given that Goffin beat Pouille easily, do they play him in doubles, hoping to win that point? Or save him for Tsonga, and hope that if he can beat Tsonga, Darcis can pull off another 5th rubber stunner? Personally, I'd save him. Gasquet and Herbert individually are handy, and the risks of a tiring loss are too high. But who knows?

-- Edited by Spectator on Friday 24th of November 2017 06:18:28 PM

JonH · All-time great

I'd also rest goffin. However, has darcis ever played with bemelmans? it might do him good to use the doubles to keep his eye in after a quick match in singles today?!

-- Edited by JonH on Friday 24th of November 2017 06:30:55 PM

Spectator · All-time great

I wouldn't. I almost wonder whether part of the idea is to try to get Belgium to play their two best, given that there are questions around the French pairing. If it had been Mahut/Herbert or Mahut/Benneteau, people would just have ceded the point.

indiana · Tennis legend

Spectator wrote:
I wouldn't. I almost wonder whether part of the idea is to try to get Belgium to play their two best, given that there are questions around the French pairing. If it had been Mahut/Herbert or Mahut/Benneteau, people would just have ceded the point.

That would to my mind be pretty crazy thinking / trying to be too clever for your own good, though yes you do wonder. But I do more agree your earlier thoughts that they are simply keeping options open. That, while more understandable, I think is probably still trying to be too clever / complicating the issue.

Whatever the thinking, simply selecting a team pretty sure to at least win the two non Goffin singles plus the doubles, so Davis Cup title, thank you, no that was too straightforward.

If Goffin feels that he can give it a pretty full go in both doubles and his remaining singles, I'd certainly play him in the doubles.

Spectator · All-time great

Their risk, though, is Darcis - which has meant that they couldn't necessarily count on winning the two non-Goffin singles. Darcis has had wins over Sascha Zverev, Kohlschreiber, Jordan Thompson, and Paolo Lorenzi this year. I would have been really surprised if he'd managed to beat Tsonga. But in a 5th against Pouille? If he's in decent form (and he may not be) I wouldn't bet against him for that. So you either have to drop Pouille (but he had a good record against Goffin) or add a third singles player.

As for whether a tactical move as floated would be overly complicated, I may indeed be overcomplicating. But equally it has felt somewhat as if Yannick Noah likes mind games.

indiana · Tennis legend

It really comes down to trying to weigh up the probabilities and I'm not sure that Noah has got his ( rather theoretical ) sums right.

But if France win the doubles, as they probably still will, then they will be looking good and with singles options.

indiana · Tennis legend

JonH wrote:
indiana wrote:
JonH wrote:
Goffin wins the first set. Commentator on BBC website suggested that Gasquet was picked to bolster their singles options. I guess they think doubles is a slam dunk and thus better having a 3rd strong singles player. Tsonga and Pouille are both often fragile so maybe it has some sense, but personally think it was a mistake
The doubles could have been a slam dunk.
I guess the 5 man teams from next year might save France from themselves. Unless they pick 4 singles players to give them options and allow for possible injuries and/or egos.
Interestingly, on the ego's front, Simon and Chardy where both in the front row of the players area supporting; so they have managed to get a good range of non selected players out to support, as well as Mahut (hats off to him) and Benneteau

Good to hear. The ego suggestion was probably rather unfair, indeed most certainly so for at least some of the players.

Spectator · All-time great

I do like Steve Darcis' summary of his tactical plan v Tsonga, which the French reported as a laughing "Well clearly, it didn't work." Nice victory by Tsonga. Think that was the match Belgium regarded as its foregone conclusion anyway, so .. on to the doubles.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

From serving for the third set, the Belgians go into meltdown and end up losing easily in the tie-break.

Noah will be relieved....

Spectator · All-time great

Indeed. But they did keep Gasquet on court for a good long time ....

JonH · All-time great

Looks like Noah got away with it for now. Belgium need two wins but goffin must start favourite and then darcis to play in winner takes all.

JonH · All-time great

Goffin wins easily in 3. Good weekend for him. So as Belgium will have wanted, it's down to a 5th rubber, France stick with Pouille to play Darcis