Davis Cup II

[Simon]

East to win 4-1, cant see where will will drop a match though, maybe I'm just being generous.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

With the singles matches on Clay, having me playing would be a complete waste. Once the decision was made to play on Clay, I was never in contention for a singles spot.

I'm very happy with another chance to take on Drake/Korps though. Should be another close one.

 

[ripper868]

Devo to miss out, specially being a clay specialist

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Unfortunately for you Hancianu is as well.

 

[ripper868]

Ahh Touche

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

DAVIS CUP - WORLD GROUP - 1ST PLAY-OFF ROUND - WEST CWLAND VS. EAST CWLAND - STEDINGHAM, FR CWLAND
Ironman Drake gives East early lead

WORLD No. 10 Jefferson Drake has showed why he is potentially the best five-set player in the world as he picked up a dramatic win over Jojo Mustard in the opening leg of the Davis Cup play-off round in Stedingham. On paper it was an interesting match with Mustard, in front of a home crowd, a French Open quarter finalist despite his recent poor form. In a tense start, both players traded breaks before settling into a serving rhythm on the red clay in a brutal baseline war. But the aggressive Drake managed to earn a decisive break of service after fighting off three break points in the previous game at 6-5 to capture the set 7-5.

The second set, though, was completely different as Mustard lifted his game and shaked off criticisms that he is too much of a pusher in singles tennis. Breaking twice, he closed out the set 6-2 and set about trying to take a lead in the third set. That didn't happen, though, and Drake suddenly leapt from a break down at 0-1 to 4-1 before Mustard could even begin to press his newfound advantage. A third serivce break of the set gave him a two sets to one lead and put him on the verge of a fourth Davis Cup singles win.

But the momentum swung again, and a double fault at 1-1 saw Drake drop service for the first time in over a set and a nervous Mustard hung on to his own serve to lead 3-1. Drake threw everything he could at Mustard until 2-4, before a sense of inevitability came over him and he conserved energy for a fifth and final set. It was not a bad move either, as Drake already had the advantage of being unbelievably experienced in matches that go the distance with a fantastic record of 7-1. Mustard was not, however, going to be the one to make it 7-2 as Drake produced a gutsy display to break once and then again at match point to give the East CWLand team an early 1-0 lead.

This afternoon, World No. 5 Sven Oxenstierna looks to hit back for the West as he takes on World No. 16 Randy Smeltz.

Jefferson Drake (4-1DC, 4-1S) def.

Jojo Mustard (1-1DC, 0-1S, 1-0D), 7-5, 2-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
​

 

[Simon]

Great stuff from Drake, hope I can make it 2-0

 

[ripper868]

Drake, WAG

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

DAVIS CUP - WORLD GROUP - 1ST PLAY-OFF ROUND - WEST CWLAND VS. EAST CWLAND - STEDINGHAM, FR CWLAND
Smeltz leaves West a mountain to climb
​

EAST CWLAND'S Randy Smeltz has left West CWLand a huge task to qualify for the World Group after pulling off a real upset against world No. 5 Sven Oxenstierna in Stedingham. After Jefferson Drake earlier gave DR CWLand a leg up on the locals with a five-set win over Jojo Mustard, the pressure was on the French Open finalist to keep FR CWLand in the tie at the end of day one. As expected, it was a cagey start from both players who seemed content to patrol the baseline and attempt to draw an error from the other player. They rarely did, though, and were unbelievably consistent on service as the set petered out to a tiebreaker. Smeltz, notorious for underperforming against top players, managed to keep with the higher ranked player and made his move in the breaker as he took points off the first three points of Oxenstierna's service. That blew the breaker wide open, and he capitalised to secure it 7-2.

Down a set, Oxenstierna needed something to go his way and got it early in the second as a forehand at break point clipped the neck and dropped about a foot after the net and well beyond Smeltz's reach. That break was enough to secure the second set as the two men continued to give nothing up on serve. Nevertheless, Smeltz continued to plug away from the baseline as was rewarded with his first break of service in the sixth game of the third set to take a 4-2 lead. He experienced some wobbles at 15-40 in the very next game, but did enough to ultimately move ahead two sets to one.

Oxenstierna was under some real pressure knowing a win would make it very hard for his team to move into the World Group proper. Serving first, he managed to just hold onto serve on his first attempt and then break Smeltz first up to lead 2-0. But just as it looked like this was also heading to five, Smeltz broke back from 2-4 down and consolodated to level it at 4-4. It was a massive blown opportunity from Oxenstierna, and with sweat on his brow he was broken again to take the Easterners a game away from a 2-0 lead. Smeltz needed just five points to secure the match for the East and a 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 boilover.

Down 0-2, the West now need to win the final three rubbers to win the tie that continues with an Australian Open doubles final replay tomorrow.

Randy Smeltz (2-0DC, 1-0S, 0-1D) def.

Sven Oxenstierna (3-1DC, 3-1S), 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
​

 

[Simon]

Gun, not an upset imo. Did beat him last time and it is on clay.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Arrogant Ossies. How's that DDR Shot Putter hormone taste, Smeltz?

 

[Simon]

No Comment

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

No Comment

That pair of Double Ds on your front speak for themselves, Smeltzy.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

I'll have you know it was a prescription from one of our fine state-sponsored doctors. Perfectly acceptable.

 

[Simon]

That pair of Double Ds on your front speak for themselves, Smeltzy.

 

[Mister Wright]

Gutted! I really wanted to prove the critics wrong. I guess I went someway towards doing that in taking it to 5 sets. Heath & I will really need to put us back in the tie in the doubles. Then the reverse singles will have to get us through. Still think we can do it!

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Poor stuff. Not good enough on the returns today, should have pushed him more and generated more break chances against a weak serve.

Think we can still win three on the back of the home crowd though.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

DAVIS CUP - WORLD GROUP - 1ST PLAY-OFF ROUND - WEST CWLAND VS. EAST CWLAND - STEDINGHAM, FR CWLAND
Revenge for Drake and Korpinen as East take unassailable lead
​

Whilst it won't completely take away this sting of their Australian Open finals defeat, the pain for Jefferson Drake & Martti Korpinen will no doubt be dulled as they led East CWLand into the World Group proper with a four-set win over Heath Davis & Jojo Mustard. In front of a hostile Stedingham crowd, the Easterners knew they needed just one win from the final three rubbers to relegate the West to the Europe/Africa Zone for season II.

But with a 0-2 record against the world's second best team, Drake and Korpinen were intent on making this the winning rubber as they shot out to a break lead early in the first set. After dropping the match just six days ago in three sets, they obviously realised a quick start was necessary to peg back the Australian Open champions. With a break of both West players' service, the visitors took the first set 6-2 to stun the local crowd into silence.

That silence was compounded early in the second as they broke to lead 4-0. The Westerners broke back immediately, and after settling with a Davis hold to love managed to draw back in sight with a second break to be 4-4. But when serving to stay in the set, the normally reliable Heath Davis double faulted when down two set points to hand the Easts a two set lead on a platter.

Staring down the barrel of an unceremonious Saturday exit, the Westerners knew something drastic needed to happen. At 2-2 it did; they took four games on the trot and came into the fourth with a wet sail to give the visitors the jitters. But despite a vocal crowd, the Easterners recovered to take the fourth set to a tiebreaker; one they secured 7-3 to conclude a 6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(3) win. An obviously ecstatic East CWLand squad tore onto the court when the unassailable 3-0 lead was secured in what is sure to mean a lot for the politically fragile country. Meanwhile, the West will now ponder what might have been in the Europe/Africa Zone; their next tie coming later this year against the winner of the Mar. 5 clash between South Africa and Denmark in Durban.

Jefferson Drake &

Martti Korpinen def.

Heath Davis &

Jojo Mustard, 6-2, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(3).
​

 

[Mister Wright]

Absolutely gutted. Really wanted to push on and give the singles players a chance of taking back the tie. Disappointing to go out in the tiebreak after storming back in the 4th set. Ah well...not to be.

Hopefully Mustard can get a chance to gain further experience in Davis Cup singles even if it is a dead rubber, but will understand if someone else get a hit.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

I'm not 100% sure this is the way the Davis Cup works (and someone can correct me if I'm wrong), but the Sunday ties will probably be:

Davis vs. Hancianu
Rivers vs. Smeltz/Korpinen