Week 5 - 2025 Davis Cup Qualifiers, first round - JPN vs GBR - Miki, Japan (indoor hard)

the addict · Tennis legend

Week 5 - 2025 Davis Cup Qualifiers, first round - JPN vs GBR - Miki, Japan (indoor hard)

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Jake went a break down second set but has it back and at 3 all. This set could be crucial in the context of the whole tie.

KK · Club Coach

Jake lost the second set on a tie break.

2-2. It all depends on Billy now.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

And Billy quickly 4-1 down. All going a bit Pete Tong

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
My feeling is a 3-1 singles win to Japan - do they play doubles then? Ie doubles would be redundant in the case of a 3-1 win?

edit - I see doubles is 3rd match, so 3-2 is my guess

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Thursday 30th of January 2025 08:15:05 PM

Looks like Japan are going to see this through 3-2 sadly, unless Billy can turn it around

9vicman · Satellite level

Sheddie wrote:
Seems like a sign of (a) how the tennis media has changed and (b) how the Davis Cup's star has fallen, that there doesn't seem to be a single UK national newspaper journalist out there covering this tie.

A few years ago, the full tie would have been broadcast live by the BBC, with a week-long build-up and reporting from all the major outlets. Without this thread, I would have forgotten that this qualifier was even taking place. Quite a few newspapers not even choosing to report the day 1 results.

I think it's more symptomatic of the facr that all the major tennis writers have been out in Melbourne, that Jack Draper isn't playing, and that media in general are travelling less to all events even the Slams.

But yes, Davis Cup in its current format doesn't have the same cache as three-day home-or-away ties. But you weren't going to get the top players playing four three-day Davis Cup ties in a year any more. That said, the February first round date is pretty sh**ty anyway, and several players have missed.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

And Billy went down 2 and 3.

So, sadly, a loss but not really any surprise. Well done to those who played and tried.

We are in the World Group 1 stage now for a home or away tie in September - any one any idea when our opponents for that will be known from all the teams playing qualifiers and play offs this weekend?

scottie1 · Futures level

JonH comes home wrote:
And Billy went down 2 and 3.

So, sadly, a loss but not really any surprise. Well done to those who played and tried.

We are in the World Group 1 stage now for a home or away tie in September - any one any idea when our opponents for that will be known from all the teams playing qualifiers and play offs this weekend?

I guess this shows the lack of top class depth when Draper and Norrie are out. Dan seems to be on a downward slope since playing with Andy in the doubles at Olympics.

Jake just newly in top100 so it's still a learning curve.

Billy has done well after being on ITF circuit for years.

I guess we need to wait for Henry Searle or Johannus Munday to make a breakthrough others like Kyle and Ryan are way off the pace.

indiana · Tennis legend

Pity.

But with Jack, plus Cam or now Jake advancing at such pace, and then the doubles players we have, then fit and well we can certainly have a. competitive World Group team.

For Davis Cup you don't need depth ( as our own Davis Cup triumph showed, in a time of more stretched home & away ties ) as long as your top players are available. So we don't necessarily have to wait around in hope for the likes of Henry or JoMo to have a real say at the top table again.

First though need to get that September tie dealt with to position ourselves for next year.

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 1st of February 2025 11:30:48 AM

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

the addict wrote:
QR3: Joe Salisbury & Neal Skupski CR 59 (43+16) def Yosuke Watanuki & Takeru Yuzuki (JPN/JPN) CR 1405 (1261+144) 7-6(4) 7-6(3)

JPN 1 GBR 2

Jake has just lost the first set 3-6 to Nishioka

To sum up:

QR4: Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) WR 67 defeated Jacob Fearnley WR 77 by 6-3 7-6(0)

QR5: Kei Nishikori (JPN) WR 70 defeated Billy Harris WR 129 by 2 & 3

JPN 3 GBR 2 cry

I'd hoped for better...

Smudge226 · Club Coach

The boys played well. Faced with a strong Japanese team, they did play well really, certainly for the singles, the dubs scoreline does'nt look too convincing for an established pair against rank outsiders but then I didnt see the game. Highlights of another high quality game for Fearnley in link. Fearnley has been a huge bonus for GB.

youtu.be/RntCopUmUX4

Smudge226 · Club Coach

Dubs highlights. Japanese pair better than I was expecting. Some greats lobs in there.

youtu.be/Ozaq05vPnXY

Tanaqui · Club Coach

It was always a longshot with both Jack and Cam out. Jake did very well to win his first match (and I think this was also the first Davis Cup match he's played? Edit: yes, it was his debut) although it looks like his tie-break in the match today was rather dismal.

Hopefully Jake will consolidate his position in the top 100 (he's only been there 4 months!) and provide great backup for Jack and/or Cam, and Billy can push on again from having stalled just outside the top 100 (which is still a lot higher than we expected for most of his career).

Onwards to September!

-- Edited by Tanaqui on Saturday 1st of February 2025 01:15:16 PM

9vicman · Satellite level

It's interesting that we talk about lack of depth beyond Jack and Cam, when for years we didn't have a Top 100, or Andy only had the likes of James Ward to back him. Shows that things have improved, although as a rich tennis nation, there should be expectations.

9vicman · Satellite level

JonH comes home wrote:
And Billy went down 2 and 3.

So, sadly, a loss but not really any surprise. Well done to those who played and tried.

We are in the World Group 1 stage now for a home or away tie in September - any one any idea when our opponents for that will be known from all the teams playing qualifiers and play offs this weekend?

Hi Jon, we need to wait for Sunday's ties to finish. The 13 Qualifer losers and 13 World Group I winners will play in World Group I. Seeds will be based on the new DC Nations Ranking. The ITF hasn't announced a draw date yet.