Davis Cup previews and picks: Murray vs. Kokkinakis, Evans vs. Tomic

Tomic The Davis Cup World Group semifinal between Great Britain and Australia will begin on Friday on the indoor hard courts of Glasgow. Andy Murray is opening against Thanasi Kokkinakis before Dan Evans faces Bernard Tomic.

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)

Two good friends and frequent training partners will go head-to-head for the first time when Murray and Kokkinakis kick off the Great Britain vs. Australia Davis Cup semifinal tie on Friday in Glasgow. Both players are looking to bounce back from relatively disappointing U.S. Open campaigns. Murray had been in outstanding form with a title in Montreal and a semifinal showing in Cincinnati. Expected to go up against Roger Federer in a semifinal showdown at Flushing Meadows, the third-ranked Scot instead lost to Kevin Anderson in a fourth-round upset. Still, Murray is a stellar 59-10 on the season and a perfect 4-0 in Davis Cup singles rubbers.

Kokkinakis got dragged into the Nick Kyrgios-Stan Warinka controversy during the Montreal Masters, but he did not let it affect him in Cincinnati. The world No. 72 qualified for the main draw there and ousted Fabio Fognini before succumbing to Richard Gasquet. Kokkinakis also went up against Gasquet in the U.S. Open first round and pushed the Frenchman to five sets before retiring with cramps. The 19-year-old is 1-1 in Davis Cup this year; he came back from two sets down to beat Lukas Rosol on the road in the Czech Republic but lost during quarterfinal action at home to Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin. An away date with Murray will obviously be Kokkinakis’ toughest Davis Cup test yet.

Pick: Murray in 3 with at least 1 tiebreaker

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Dan Evans (GBR) vs. Bernard Tomic (AUS)

The Australia Davis Cup team has played some musical chairs in recent seasons, and Tomic has beena a big reason for the ongoing uncertainty due to both inconsistent play on the court and questionable behavior off it. Almost the same can be said for Kyrgios. It was Kyrgios who got the call for the Davis Cup quarterfinals against Kazakhstan, but now Tomic is on the squad while Kyrgios is absent. The 22-year-old is in strong enough form, up to a career-high ranking of 23rd in the world. He outlasted Australian teammate Lleyton Hewitt’s U.S. Open career after a five-set thriller then lost to Gasquet in the third round.

Evans is 1-0 lifetime against Tomic, having prevailed 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 at the 2013 U.S. Open. But the 25-year-old has since disappeared from the main tour. In fact, he has not won an ATP-level match since Queen’s Club in 2014 and he has not even played in an ATP tournament this season. Registering at exactly 300th in the world, Evans has been grinding away on the Futures and Challenger circuits and has three Futures titles to his credit this year. Although he is finally playing with some confidence again, this is a substantial step up in competition for Evans.

Pick: Tomic in 4

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190 Comments on Davis Cup previews and picks: Murray vs. Kokkinakis, Evans vs. Tomic

  1. Rafa wins! Nice try, Mikael.

    It’s an indoor court, on wood, I think. Not a court Rafa has played on in many a year. Understandable.

  2. Rafa wins: 6:4 6:3 6:2…apart from facing two break points (and saving them thanks God!) when serving for the match the third set did not seem to be a struggle…

  3. Don’t you just love Davis Cup. Dan Evans makes an amazing comeback from two sets down to take the third set from under the nose of Tomic and send the home crowd delirious with excitement.

  4. I admit I was surprised when Dan Evans was fielded instead of James Ward. In the past I’ve seen him play his little cotton socks off in DC but he’s never done much on the ATP tour. He was out much of last year because of a knee injury and has been playing mainly challengers since then. Hardly good preparation for DC.

  5. I am so out of the loop that I forgot about Davis Cup. I didn’t check the tennis channel today, having been out all afternoon. I will have to see if they are televising any of it. So Rafa played today. From reading the comments, it seems that he was having his problems with this guy, whoever he is.

    I will try to check out the video link. Thanks Benny!

    • No problem and they will be playing Davis cup at 3 am est time I think that’s 6 am or 7 am pacific. They will be playing it live for most of the day I think. That will be doubles but it still should be exciting with fed and Stan in action and The Brit vs Aussie doubles clash that should be epic.

  6. Benny: Missed Rafa’s match. Was sur le route from Paris so your video link provided the opportunity to see where Rafa is at. Given the autumn hard court season has never been his favourite time of the year, I thought he stood up to the barrage from the Swede pretty well. Not going deep in most of his recent tournaments could be a blessing in disguise.

    Shireling:. Liked the rapport he had with Conchita during the changeovers.

    #CautiouslyOptimistic

  7. i didn’t get that impression at all. It took a while for Rafa to find his ‘sea legs’ true besides we all know indoor hard courts are his least favourite surface at the best of times.

    One of the intriguing things is the way DC
    a) gives virtually unknown players who normally languish in Futures and Challengers a taste of the big stage and
    b) they frequently play heroically for their country when thrust into the limelight but subsequently sink back into obscurity.

  8. I’m getting nervous. The lack of the two Murrays doubles matches together is starting to show. Much better co-ordination between the Aussies at the moment.

  9. The Murrays are on their way to losing the third set which means a 5-setter if they are to have any hope. Not looking at all promising atm. Think I’ll switch over to the Nadal/Verdasco doubles.

      • Yeah I mean if Murray wins Davis cup which will probably happen now I will be happy then too. I just wanted Hewitt to have one last epic win before retiring at Australian Open next year.

      • Yeah that was a great match. Lots of drama throughout. The Murray bros just were able to get it done in the end. I feel like Groth was very tight throughout that final set and the murrays could probably sense that.

        • Benny (I assume Someone is you!!) Andy played his part once he got used to playing doubles but Jamie was inspired in the closing stages of the match. And I agree Groth buckled in the final set. I couldn’t believe how well dear old Hewitt played. Part of me wanted to see him pull off one great last DC win but in the end patriotism won out. Lovely exchange between the four men at the net wasn’t it.

    • Wow de Bakker and middelkoop must’ve played well even though they were facing roger and chiudinelli instead of Stan probably because Stan had long match and needed rest for tomorrow. Let’s go Switzerland!!

  10. It’s nice to know that Rafa and Nando won. I checked out the tennis channel, but they are not showing Spain. They are showing the Brits, though. I am going to keep checking because there is a lot of coverage listed with no specific countries. I am hoping that they will at least replay Rafa.

    I should have watched the Murray brothers. That one sounded like a good one.

    • NNY: I would be surprised if Spain v Denmark matches will be featured in the US. It’s a relegation match which is unlikely to qualify for airtime in competition with so many other sports at this time of the year. I have a subscription to the Davis Cup live tennis site so can access all the DC matches around the world. Disproportionately costly though for four weekends in the year. Being a tennis addict gets expensive, no? 🙁

      I only caught a few snatches of Rafa and Nando. Too busy watching GB and Australia. Rafa was not having an easy time of it and looked pretty tense. I got the impression he was carrying Verdasco but it was probably the right decision to pair him up with Nando rather than RBA who I don’t recall have ever played doubles together.

      • I only subscribe to ITF Live on a daily basis, i.e. when Rafa is playing. Sad, I know. Most of the matches are on SKY or Eurosport anyway, especially the GB matches.

      • Your words, not mine 🙂

        I only get free-to-air channels with my subscription to English TV and I cancelled the French TV Sports channels in favour of Eurosport Player.

        Tomic is playing well don’t you think. Just hope Andy keeps the pressure on. He has a bad habit of going off the boil sometimes in second sets and yesterday’s doubles took a lot out of him.

      • Gussie: that’s not how I interprete this wording on the Davis Cup live stream site:

        Start time:
        Day 1: 13:55 (12:55 BST) TENNIS: Denmark v Spain
        Starting at 12:00 GMT
        Frederik NIELSEN v Rafael NADAL
        Followed by
        Mikael TORPEGAARD v David FERRER
        Not available in Brazil, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Australia and USA

      • ed,

        Yes, you are correct. I realized that yesterday. Spain’s is a relegation match as opposed to the other Davis Cup matches. They were showing the U.S. DC matches along with Great Britain.

        I woke up today in time to see the very end of Murray/Tomic! I am sure it will replayed later on. But it was so nice to see the Brits get this win! Yay for them! Also, I am happy for Andy after the disappointment at the USO. This has to be so satisfying for him.

        At least I get to see some of them. 🙂

  11. Hope all the Brits on this site are glued to the Murray-Tomic match 🙂

    Amazing atmosphere in Glasgow. Beats all the others put together for noise and support.

    • It was pretty obvious from the start that Tomic stands no chance of winning this match. Tomic’s shots are so weak. He tries to place the balls he doesn’t have the weight behind them and he misses a lot.

      Andy challenges calls out of wishful thinking. He’s always done that.

  12. Congrats to Great Britain!! I was pulling for Aussies but I’m super happy for Murray too. He and the rest of Great Britain should win the final no matter who they play mainly cuz of how well the Murray brothers compete in doubles they’re not an amazing team but their chemistry and being brothers and all helps them do so well plus the doubles players on Belgium and Argentina aren’t that good. Not as good as Jamie Murray that’s for sure.

    • I’m watching Argentine v. Belgium. Was hoping it will be Belgium for the final then it will be played in Scotland (home crowd and all that). They are locked in a titanic battle which could go to five sets.

      • Yes!! I don’t care who wins the final because I want both to win their first Davis cup. Well I know Belgium would be winning theirs I’m not sure if Great Britain has won one before. Goffin will have to play amazing in order for Belgium to somehow pull off the upset over GB. He would have to find a way to beat Murray and the location would probably have to be Belgium in order for the Belgians to really do well.

      • I wanted the Brits (or should I say the Scots) to have the home crowd factor which is why I was so keen for the Belgians to win. I’m very off Darcis himself for obvious reasons !!

    • corr.
      Murray must regret all those years that he SNUBBED the GB team refusing to show up for DC because GB was not in the World Group

      • Steady on. He didn’t refuse to show up for years and years. On the contrary, from 2005 onwards at the age of 17 he played in both singles and doubles. He skipped one DC against Argentine in the spring of 2008 and got a lot of stick for it – including outspoken criticism from brother Jamie and a general smear campaign condemning him for prioritising his career yet at the same time sneering at him for not having won a Slam yet.

      • Ed, I seem to remember John Lloyd couldn’t get Andy to play and Andy saying for a long time that they need good players not just rely on him. In fact when Leon Smith became captain the British commies said maybe he could persuade Andy to play because they are friends.

      • You’re right Andy did beef about the responsibility for Davis Cup resting on his shoulders alone. It was at the time when vast amounts of money was being spent to bring on a bunch of youngsters at the National Tennis Centre with zero results. He was also critical of John Lloyd’s role as captain and was vociferous that the players should have more say in the choice. Not unlike Spain last year.

        It’s a thorny subject. I’ve always had sympathy for all the elite players who are asked to compromise their careers (often at crucial stages) to meet the call to arms. The same thing happened to Del Potro. Federer was frequently criticised for this crime. Rafa missed many ties due to injury but it was less disastrous because of the pool of Spanish talent. The IFT have also rigged the issue by imposing punitive penalties for not playing in order to maintain their grip on the Davis Cup.

        Andy has just announced he will forego the WTF in order to prepare for the DC final.
        http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/sep/20/andy-murray-davis-cup-great-britain-australia?CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2

        I am puzzled it appears the final is to be played in Belgium. That was not what was implied last night.

  13. Hopefully GB wins the Davis Cup and so Murray will join his fellow big four guys, for helping their respective countries win the David Cup.

  14. I’m rooting for BE, cause I live there (here) , go Belgium!
    On another note, Rafa visited Lille yesterday to see the Spanish basketball team win the European championship , go Spain!
    And yet on another note, following up on the sometimes less than warm treatment that Rafa gets from some FR fans at RG, the speaker in the Spain-Lithuania final actively asked the crowd to boo the Spanish team when they came out! The FR can’t help it…

    • The French are not unlike the Scots in that respect. There is a long standing Scottish tradition to root for anybody except the English. It’s meant to be a joke but the English don’t get it – as Murray discovered to his cost when he cracked it during the World Football Cup. The French simply thrive on any excuse to demonstrate whether it is a cause they believe in or not.

      #ViveLaDifferece

  15. Andy Murray may miss London finals for Davis Cup final

    By Russell Fuller
    BBC tennis correspondent
    Andy Murray is set to miss this year’s World Tour Finals if, as expected, Belgium decide to host the Davis Cup final against Great Britain on clay.
    The Flanders Expo Arena in Ghent will stage the tie if the Davis Cup Committee gives its approval on Tuesday.
    The Belgian Federation has two weeks to confirm its choice of surface, but has opted for clay in four of its last six home ties and may conclude it is the surface most likely to inconvenience Murray.
    The World Tour Finals – on a hard court – finish at London’s O2 Arena on Sunday, 22 November, with the Davis Cup final played over three days from the following Friday.
    “The O2 would obviously be a question mark for me if we were playing on the clay,” Murray told BBC Radio 5 live after sealing Britain’s place in the final.
    “I would go and train and prepare on the clay to get ready for the final.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/34309163

  16. Andy Murray has put himself on a collision course with the Association of Tennis Professionals by revealing that he would be prepared to miss November’s World Tour Finals in order to give himself the best chance of winning three points against Belgium in the Davis Cup final.

    The news underlines Murray’s commitment to the British cause, for the season-ending jamboree at the O2 Arena is a lucrative business, offering £10,000 merely for attending, with an extra £100,000 on offer for each round-robin victory and a potential prize pot of more than £1.3m for a player who goes through the tournament unbeaten.

    There is also the possibility that Murray could incur a significant fine for his non-attendance. “The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals is a mandatory event on the ATP World Tour,” said Chris Kermode, who is an old ally of Murray’s but also now the chief executive of the ATP, in a statement.

    “All players who qualify, unless injured, are required to compete in the event. Andy Murray has had a fantastic season and earned his place among the world’s top eight players to compete at the season finale. We are aware of the comments made after the Davis Cup tie in Glasgow, however our expectations are that, if fully fit, Andy would compete in this year’s tournament. Unless we hear otherwise via an official withdrawal, he is still entered to compete at The O2.”

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/andymurray/11879788/Andy-Murray-ready-to-forfeit-up-to-1.3million-by-missing-ATP-Tour-finals-and-focus-on-Davis-Cup.html

  17. I agree that Andy has a much better chance of winning DC than the WTF. I have never thought highly of this final year end event, but Fed fans always say that it’s just because Rafa has never won it. Nothing could be further from the truth. I think it’s just a glorified exho for the top 8 players.

    However, Rafa has said that his is his goal for the year.

    I am sure that Andy will be able to get himself out of the WTF without any serious consequences, since he seems so dedicated to winning DC. Good for him!

  18. ed, Rafa didn’t mention the WTF because he never takes anything for granted. He knows he has not yet qualified so he can’t say he’ll be there as a matter of fact.

  19. Even when at the height of his powers he never took being selected for DC for granted. He would always qualify playing DC by saying he would if he was selected.

  20. Way back in the summer Rafa stated qualifying was one of his goals for this year. Admittedly my interpretation was coloured by Ricky’s comment – at the time Rafa got to No.7 in the race – when he said Rafa would not play the WTF (i.e. even if he qualified).

    My original comment was addressed to NNY in response to her post yesterday at 11.37pm from which I inferred she believed Rafa wanted to play the WTF. The WTF does not sit comfortably in his planned schedule, especially as has also confirmed he will play DC. which comes a week later. He has made it clear he wants to to be in peak condition to have a strong start early next season in order to regain the lost ground this year.

    • ed251137 says:
      September 22, 2015 at 5:55 pm
      —The WTF does not sit comfortably in his [Rafa] planned schedule, especially as has also confirmed he will play DC. which comes a week later—
      =================

      Last weekend, Spain secured its spot in Zone Group I for 2016 and because of that Spain won’t play any more Davis Cup matches this year!

      • Gussie: I must learn to keep up with the hour by hour developments! Thank goodness you are there to put me right when I get my facts wrong 🙂

        But do you agree what I said would have been valid had Spain been facing the prospect of back to back WTF and Davis Cup?

        While on the subject of WTF, does anyone recall the fiasco during the 2008 version of the event in Shanghai? After multiple withdrawals had left the field depleted and the reserves on site had been drafted in, a dozen or more players were approached but all declined to travel at short notice citing various reasons/excuses. They ended up flying Stepanek in (he was not even in the top 30 at the time) who happened to be on holiday not far away. If I remember correctly there were similar problems finding replacement players for the doubles.

      • ed251137 says:
        September 22, 2015 at 8:04 pm
        —But do you agree what I said would have been valid had Spain been facing the prospect of back to back WTF and Davis Cup?—
        ==============
        It’s impossible this year. Only the DC final (World Group) will be played after WTF, no other DC matches. Spain is not in the World Group this year.

      • Have just browsed the Wiki page for the 2008 World Tour Cup (as it was called in those days) which I should have checked before posting the comment instead of relying on memory.

        Corrections:
        A total of 16 players declined to step into the breach when Roddick retired with an injury during the RR stage.

        Stepanek had started 2008 at No.30 but was ranked No.26 at time of the WTC. It was Nicolas Keifer (who arrived as the alternate player) who was ranked No.35

        #WristSlap

  21. ed,
    I make a brief summary.
    .
    ed251137 says:
    September 22, 2015 at 9:45 am
    —What will be interesting is if he plays the Paris Masters.—
    =====
    Rafa plans to play at the Paris Masters.

  22. Didnt follow the conversation here, but Rafa is always on for DC except when injured. In 2008 he was injured so missed both WTF and DC final in Argentina. In 2009, his relatively bad year, he played Paris Masters (lost to Novak in the SF), WTF (lost all his RR matches) but went on to beat Berdych on clay in the DC final and Spain won the DC that year.

    In 2011, he skipped Paris Masters, played poorly atWTF (won one and lost two RR matches) and went on to beat Delpo and Monaco on clay in DC final and Spain won the DC that year.

  23. One of my very favourite Rafa moments came during an interview with a young female reporter from the BBC as he left London. I paraphrase from memory.

    Q ‘How has this year been for you?’

    Rafa with an adorable smile raised his eyebrow, shrugged his shoulders and replied:
    ‘Mostly up and down’.
    Slight pause and then a rueful smile:
    ‘Well, mostly down.’

    He went on to apologise to all his fans in London for his disappointing performance.
    It was also the first time his parents had been seen together at his matches after their separation earlier that year. All in all it was a horrible year for Rafa apart from his dramatic win at the AO.

  24. Fingers crossed Murray will keep up the form he showed on clay earlier this year.
    Hoping too that Jamie Ward will earn back his place in the team. He is no slouch on clay. It was a risky strategy on Leon Smith’s part to field a not fully fit Dan Evans in spite of the sterling work he’s done for GB in Davis Cup in the past.

    Who’d want to take on the part of a Davis Cup team captain. Doomed if you do. Doomed if you don’t.

  25. I think Leon Smith just wanted to spread the love and make Dan Evans feel part of the team especially if GB goes on to win the DC. What’s happened to Aljaz Bedene there
    has been no mention of him; I know he can’t play for GB yet but shouldn’t he have been there cheering the team on?

    • Good point Nadlne. Dan more than played his part in helping GB to get back into the World Group. There is more depth today than when Andy was their one and only player but they are relatively inexperienced and goodness knows when, if ever, GB will get the chance to contest a final again.

      Leon will be agonising over his selections and strategies. He has seen what happened to Arnaud Clement when the captain doesn’t get it right. Dont know how they will react to the authoritarian Yannick but the sparks will fly if Spain and France have to play each other 😉

      Conchita looked to have a good rapport with the Spanish team but it will be an uphill task to restore confidence and repair the damage of the last few appointments – which has been an ever revolving roundabout.

      • ed251137 says:
        September 23, 2015 at 7:04 pm,
        –the sparks will fly if Spain and France have to play each other—
        ===============
        .
        Spain and France have no chance to play each other before 2017.

      • Auguster @ 9.17am:

        I didn’t IMPLY or SAY next year did I? I didn’t even say WHEN they play each. I wrote IF they have to play each other – which I think most people will infer as meaning at any time in the future. i.e. when Spain gets back into the World Group and provided GB isn’t relegated.
        Correct me when I get the facts wrong, or have completely misunderstood something. Otherwise cut me some slack. please.

      • ed251137 says:
        September 24, 2015 at 12:44 pm
        —I didn’t IMPLY or SAY next year did I?—
        ============

        You wrote (at 7:04 pm) about Yannick Noah, who was appointed as the new France Davis Cup captain for NEXT year. 🙂

  26. I really want to see Murray and the Brits win the DC. I think Murray showed earlier this year that he can do very well on clay. It may not be his best surface, but he has enough prowess and skill to get the job done.

  27. i hope Andy sticks to his guns and withdraws from the WTF. He will have the backing of most players if he does. If you read Chris Kermodes statement carefully he has not spelt out how he would be punished. He merely says unless they receive an official withdrawal he expects Murray to show up. He runs the WTF and obviously has to be seen to be enforcing the draconian rules imposed by the ITF but as chairman of the ATP his main concern is finding a middle road between promoting tennis and concerns for the welfare of the players. I don’t believe Murray will be forced to put his health at risk. That way everybody is the loser. I’m sure a face saving solution will be found. i.e. a hefty fine.

      • I think Murray will play both and hope for the best; possibly try and leave the WTF at the RR stage and not exert himself too much. This could be GBs one and only chance of winning the DC in this era last time being 1936 and it’s an opportunity not to be missed.

      • i think a strategic early loss is the least satisfactory solution all round. I hate it when it is blatantly obvious this is what is going on ala Paris Masters which is so often a race amongst those who have already qualified as to who can get to London first.

        At the end of the day it is akin to match fixing. As a spectator or viewer I feel cheated.

      • Actually it is rare for players at the WTF to tank a match. In fact I can’t recall it happening apart from the notorious ‘Tank You’ incident used to edge Andy out of the SF.

      • This is Kermodes statement following the news Murray was contemplating not playing the WTF.

        Chris Kermode, executive president of the ATP which governs men’s professional tennis, said Murray would be expected to play in London.
        “The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals is a mandatory event on the ATP World Tour,” he said.
        “All players who qualify, unless injured, are required to compete in the event. Andy Murray has had a fantastic season and earned his place among the world’s top eight players to compete at the season finale.

        “We are aware of the comments made after the Davis Cup tie in Glasgow, however our expectations are that, if fully fit, Andy would compete in this year’s tournament. Unless we hear otherwise via an official withdrawal, he is still entered to compete at the O2.”

        He is reiterating the official rulebook. He did not say the book will be flung at him.
        Ergo, he has left the door open for Murray to exit gracefully.

      • ed251137 says:
        September 24, 2015 at 10:16 am
        —He is reiterating the official rulebook. He did not say the book will be flung at him.—
        ========
        ..
        Can Mr. Kermode be above the official rulebook?

  28. IMO, DC is more important than WTF…it’s representing and playing for your country…it’s almost opposite of what tennis is all about: pure individual sport…in DC they act and play as a team with each individual contributing to a team success…and that’s the value of it…I fully support Andy’s decision if he is allowed to stick to it…

  29. Davis cup is a sideshow these days not many top players care about it due to the unfair and unreasonable schedule and lack of monetary benefits. Tennis is an individual sport, team competition or doubles is more of a sub-sport. Even if Britain wins the Davis cup their tennis future (post Murray) looks just as bleak.I mean seriously, even a person with half the brain knows that they are struggling to produce half a decent player (anyone ranked inside the top 100.)

    World Tour Finals offers 1500 points for an unbeaten champion. If Murray has any ambitions to get the World # 1 ranking next year, he cant miss the World tour finals, he is already almost 8000 points behind Djokovic, he has to close this astonishing gap and cant afford to fall even further behind.

  30. They offer 1,00 points and £1.3m in prize money to force players to take part.

    Alternates (Wiki)
    Although the ATP Rulebook states that the two players immediately ranked after the last qualifier at the Masters Cup should be selected as singles alternates, and be present at the event’s location,[70] only two players ranked in the Top 35 of the ATP Race, after Gilles Simon, accepted the invitation to come to Shanghai : 26th-ranked Radek Štěpánek of the Czech Republic, and 35th-ranked Nicolas Kiefer of Germany.[71] Among the twenty-four players who declined to come – because they needed to prepare for the Davis Cup final, for reasons of injury, or to preserve themselves for the next season – were James Blake, David Nalbandian, 2007 Tennis Masters Cup finalist David Ferrer, Stanislas Wawrinka, 2007 qualifier Fernando González, Fernando Verdasco, Gaël Monfils, Robin Söderling, Igor Andreev, Nicolás Almagro, Tomáš Berdych, Tommy Robredo, Marin Čilić, Mardy Fish, 2007 qualifier Richard Gasquet, Ivo Karlović, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Dmitry Tursunov, Marat Safin, Feliciano López, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Mikhail Youzhny, Rainer Schüttler and Mario Ančić.
    Czech Radek Štěpánek, who started the year as No. 30 and ranked as high as No. 12 on July 7, had his best Grand Slam performance at the French Open, where he reached the fourth round, losing to David Ferrer in five sets on the score of 4–6, 6–2, 1–6, 6–3, 6–3.[72] Štěpánek reached one final in the season in San Jose (lost to Roddick), and reached the semifinals at four events, in Sydney (lost to Guccione), Memphis (lost to Söderling), Rome (retired due to illness against Djokovic),[73] and Metz (lost to Tursunov).
    Former World No. 4 Nicolas Kiefer, who qualified once for the year-end event at the 1999 ATP Tour World Championships, where he reached the semifinals (lost to Sampras), did not get past the third round at a Grand Slam event in 2008 but reached his first tournament final since Saint Petersburg in 2005, his first career ATP Masters Series final – and his only final of the season – at the Toronto Masters (lost to Nadal).[74] His other best results included a semifinal in Halle (lost to Federer), and a quarterfinal at the Hamburg Masters (lost to Seppi).

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Tennis_Masters_Cup#Withdrawals

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