This is not a Davis Cup semifinal lineup that anyone could have predicted going into the 2015 campaign. But thanks to some clutch play by underdogs and notable absences from the rosters of more highly-touted nations, we are left with Australia vs. Great Britain and Argentina vs. Belgium. Among the notable individuals in action this weekend in Glasgow and Brussels are Bernard Tomic, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Murray, and David Goffin.
Australia vs. Great Britain
Where: Glasgow, Scotland
Surface: Indoor hard
Australia: Bernard Tomic, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Sam Groth, Lleyton Hewitt
Great Britain: Andy Murray, Dan Evans, Jamie Murray, Dominic Inglot
There are no secrets whenever Great Britain takes the court for Davis Cup competition. With a few exceptions, the doubles rubber is almost always expected to make the difference—with the Brits winning both of Murray’s singles matches while losing the other two. On paper, doubles is what it should come down to this weekend in Glasgow against the visiting Aussies. Murray will be a heavy favorite on Friday and Sunday, but second singles player Dan Evans is toiling down at No. 300 in the world and has not won an ATP-level match since Queen’s Club…of 2014.
The assumption is that Murray will beat Kokkinakis in the opener before Tomic takes care of Evans. Murray should get the best of Tomic in the fourth rubber and Kokkinakis would be favored against Evans in a decisive fifth—if it goes that far. Thus a scheduled doubles tilt featuring the host country’s Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot versus Hewitt and Sam Groth may be the tipping point. Both Murray and Inglot are playing awesome tennis these days and Murray especially has a history of recent success in Davis Cup. Look for them to get the job done, thus ultimately preventing Evans from having to play a final rubber.
Pick: Great Britain 3, Australia 1
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Argentina vs. Belgium
Where: Brussels, Belgium
Surface: Indoor hard
Argentina: Leonardo Mayer, Federico Delbonis, Diego Schwartzman, Carlos Berlocq
Belgium: David Goffin, Steve Darcis, Ruben Bemelmans, Kimmer Coppejans
Despite having made nine semifinals in the last 13 years (not including this one, which will make it 10 in the last 14 seasons), Argentina has still never won a Davis Cup title. If the Argentines are to do so in 2015, it will be with their proverbial ‘B’ team. Juan Martin Del Potro is obviously absent and Juan Monaco is also on the shelf with a wrist injury. The good news for the visiting team is that Leonardo Mayer is in fine form and they have capable second singles options in Federico Delbonis and Diego Schwartzman.
This is a third consecutive depleted opponent that the Belgians will face. They edged Switzerland without Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka before making easy work of a Canadian team that was missing Milos Raonic and Vasek Pospisil. With Goffin leading the way, Belgium should be able to reach its first final since 1904. The world No. 15 is likely to win each of his singles rubbers, especially if Mayer also plays doubles on Saturday—and Argentina will probably ask him to do so unless it leads 2-0 after Friday. This may come down to a fifth rubber, in which case home-court advantage could decide it in Darcis’ favor.
Pick: Belgium 3, Argentina 2
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Reblogged this on Tennis Abides.
Your prediction of the Argentina vs Belgium semi final was spot on, even on match level.
Up to the final now which will take place in the city of Gent (Belgium). I hope our players remain all fit and healthy. They’ll need to be against Andy Murray & co.