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2004 Davis Cup Final

EKE BBB

By EKE BBB
in Miscellaneous - Non-Political

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Dan Gould Mentor

Dan Gould

Posted
Posted

You may take this as sour grapes, but its always seemed ridiculous to me that the team with home court advantage also picks the surface. You already have the raucous crowd (which is always tougher to play in front of outside the States-US crowds flat out don't care the way non-US crowds do), then you pick a surface that allows the other guy-you know, the one who isn't Moya-a great chance to beat a top five player. Any other surface-he dosn't have a chance in hell. Has the other Spaniard ever won a pro event? If he has I bet its a minor French Open tune-up on dirt.

Believe me, I'd say the same thing if this were the US rolling to a win at home on carpet.

The road team should pick the surface or Cup finals should be at a neutral site.

cayetano Apprentice

cayetano

Posted
Posted

That's true, Dan, but that's the rule, we can say the same for the Spanish team last year in Australia.

I would like to emphasize the exquisite sportsmanship of the US team, with Roddick recognizing the superiority of the Spaniards and applauding his better points during the game. :tup

AmirBagachelles Newbie

AmirBagachelles

Posted
Posted

I think Davis Cup is a great fan event in any year, but as a U.S. fan it is especially fun when the U.S. has any of its top players involved.

A match on clay is an exciting sporting event for spectators, the game has sublety which has died with 100mph service returns. Clay challenges. McEnroe got to within one set of a "career slam" (at the French) but could not punch through. It's tough, but as long as millions of casual and club players use clay courts as matter of course, it makes sense to see the pros on that surface as well. I've been a fan for more than 30 years, and the combination of the rackets and rubber-over-concrete is making the men's game pretty uninteresting to watch.

Dan Gould Mentor

Dan Gould

Posted
Posted

It's tough, but as long as millions of casual and club players use clay courts as matter of course, it makes sense to see the pros on that surface as well. I've been a fan for more than 30 years, and the combination of the rackets and rubber-over-concrete is making the men's game pretty uninteresting to watch.

When I was young and Harold Solomon and Bjorn Borg were my tennis idols, I was the two-fisted baseliner who loved playing on clay or har-true. Then I grew up and filled out and discovered that balls whizzing at you up close aren't so scary and you can get a lot of easy points at the net. Now my game is all chip and charge and if I get stuck in baseline rallies, I have to let 'em rip cause I know I'll make an error soon enough anyway. :g

Not that that has anything to do with Davis Cup, just thought I'd share ...

EKE BBB Mentor

EKE BBB

Posted
  • Author
Posted

...

then you pick a surface that allows the other guy-you know, the one who isn't Moya-a great chance to beat a top five player. Any other surface-he dosn't have a chance in hell. Has the other Spaniard ever won a pro event? If he has I bet its a minor French Open tune-up on dirt.

...

Dan: remember that Rafael Nadal (yeah, the guy who isn´t Moya) was chosen to play singles instead of Juan Carlos Ferrero, who HAS WON a lot of pro events. And as it was revealed, Spanish team coaches had their reasons.

Dan Gould Mentor

Dan Gould

Posted
Posted

...

then you pick a surface that allows the other guy-you know, the one who isn't Moya-a great chance to beat a top five player.  Any other surface-he dosn't have a chance in hell.  Has the other Spaniard ever won a pro event?  If he has I bet its a minor French Open tune-up on dirt.

...

Dan: remember that Rafael Nadal (yeah, the guy who isn´t Moya) was chosen to play singles instead of Juan Carlos Ferrero, who HAS WON a lot of pro events. And as it was revealed, Spanish team coaches had their reasons.

Well, I have certainly heard of Ferrero, but I don't know what your reference is to the "reasons" he was chosen. And that doesn't change my assertion, that on any other surface, Nadal doesn't stand a chance.

You have to admit, allowing the visiting team to pick the surface would be an interesting way of countering the home court advantage with your countrymen screaming their lungs out. Weren't those thunderstix I saw in the crowd? As I understand it, in a baseball stadium those things are loud. In a tennis stadium, they must be ridiculous.

Which reminds me, does anyone know how home court advantage is determined?

EKE BBB Mentor

EKE BBB

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Well, I have certainly heard of Ferrero, but I don't know what your reference is to the "reasons" he was chosen. And that doesn't change my assertion, that on any other surface, Nadal doesn't stand a chance.

Ferrero was not on top form these days. Nadal(18 years at the moment) was.

  • 5 months later...
cayetano Apprentice

cayetano

Posted
Posted

then you pick a surface that allows the other guy-you know, the one who isn't Moya-a great chance to beat a top five player. Any other surface-he dosn't have a chance in hell. Has the other Spaniard ever won a pro event?

Five months later the one who isn't Moya is a top five player. :D

  • 4 years later...

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