Tennis: 2016 Davis Cup

[Eco]

Quarter Finals resume today.

Serbia vs Great Britain​

TIPSAREVIC - EDMUND
LAJOVIC - WARD
TIPSAREVIC/ZIMONJIV - INGLOT/J. MURRAY
LAJOVIC - EDMUND
TIPSAREVIC - WARD

Serbia will host Great Britain in a second-ever Davis Cup by BNP Paribas clash between the two nations.

The last time the two teams met was in 2006 when Novak Djokovic won two singles rubbers at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow, with Ilija Bozoljac and Nenad Zimonjic winning the doubles against Andy Murray and Greg Rusedski.

Serbia finds itself in the World Group quarterfinals after defeating Kazakhstan 3-2, while defending champions Great Britain made it past Japan 3-1 in the opening round.


Italy vs. Argentina
SEPPI - DELBONIS
FOGNINI - MONACO
CECCHINATO/LORENZI - DEL PORTO/PELLA
FOGNINI - DELBONIS
SEPPI - MONACO

Italy host Argentina in a mouth-watering Davis Cup quarterfinal tie, as both teams look to build on comfortable first round wins. Italy defeated Switzerland 5-0, while Argentina eased to victory away in Poland.

While both nations have one victory from their previous two meetings, it was Italy who won the most recent tie, a 3-1 triumph in Mar del Plata in the 2014 World Group first round.

Both teams have suffered narrow semifinal losses in recent years (Argentina losing to Belgium last year, Italy losing to Switzerland in 2014) and both will undoubtedly be desperate to have chance to make up for those defeats in this year's semifinals - only a win here will do.


Czech Republic vs France
ROSOL - TSONGA
VESELY - POUILLE
PAVLASEK/STEPANEK - HERBERT/MAHUT
VESELY - TSONGA
ROSOL - POUILLE

Two great Davis Cup nations meet for the 16th time in July, with a place in this year's semifinals at stake. The Czechs will undoubtedly be looking for revenge after France won the nations' most recent encounter, a 2014 semifinal which prevented Czech Republic having a shot at winning a third consecutive title.

That victory meant that the nations' head-to-head record now stands at 8-7 in France's favour, but the Czechs will take heart from the face that recent ties tend to have gone the way of the home team.

They will also remember that despite France's strength in depth, the Czechs have won the title on two occasions - 2012 and 2013 - since France last triumphed, all the way back in 2001. But France, after a dominant display against Canada in March, will be in confident mood too. Whoever wins, this tie seems sure to be a cracker.


USA vs Croatia
SOCK - CILIC
ISNER - CORIC
BRYAN/BRYAN - DODIG/DRAGANJA
ISNER - CILIC
SOCK - CORIC

USA host Croatia in the quarterfinals, with both teams keen to build on encouraging first round displays. USA secured an impressive win away in Australia, while Croatia ousted 2015 finalists Belgium.

While USA is the most successful Davis Cup nation of all time, having won 32 Davis Cup titles, it is Croatia who hold the upper hand when it comes to these teams' previous meetings. The Croatians have won all three of the nations' previous ties, with Marin Cilic starring in the most recent encounter, a World Group quarterfinal in 2009.

The Americans have home advantage on their side for this tie, however, and are desperate for a convincing run at the title this year, having suffered first round losses at the hands of Great Britain in both 2014 and 2015.

The winners will take on either Czech Republic or France in the semifinals.

​

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[kihei]

USA/Croatia and Italy/Argentina should be beauties. After Delbonis, Argentina has a lot of players in the same basic range plus JMDP as something of a wild card, so I wonder what the reasoning was in choosing the second singles. In Monaco, it looks like they went for experience and a steady hand--logic that might be more effective if Argentina was playing at home.

 

[Eco]

If Sock can somehow take Cilic for at least 4 sets - then it'll look good for us.

 

[Eco]

Sock with two awful misses on his forehand leads to him losing the first set 6-4.

 

[Eco]

Sock with two awful misses on his forehand leads to him losing the first set 6-4.

Well - they are currently in the 5th set.

Sock has really been playing well, but he's already lost serve in the 5th, and currently Cilic is serving already up 3-1 in the 5th.

C'mon Sock.

 

[Eco]

Sock completes the crazy comeback and defeats Cilic, giving the USA a huge advantage.

If Isner beats the teenager tonight, then surely we have the match.

 

[kihei]

Poor Cilic. One of the worst front runners imaginable these days....

 

[kihei]

Pouille saved France's tie with a big win. Kind of surprised they didn't postpone the matches actually.

Tipsy did one of his famous disappearing acts when behind. What a baby.

 

[kihei]

Fog pulls off one miraculous escape on match point (and series point) but can't pull off another as Italy goes down to Argentina.

 

[Shrimper]

Edmund superb, Britain through!

 

[kihei]

Uh, oh, Cilic is up two sets to love again. The US must think that they have got him right where they want him....but not to be as Cilic closes out Isner in straight sets. It all comes down to Coric and Sock.

Set apiece as Coric could take advantage of none of 11 break point opportunities against Sock in the second set.

Coric takes an uneasy third set where he lost a service break that he had accomplished but quickly regained it.

Both players look tight as drums in the fourth set, Coric up a break, 2-1. Holding serve could be an adventure for both players the rest of the way....and Coric immediately double faults away his advantage, 2-2....Sock coughs up a break at the worst possible time, 5-4, Coric to serve for the match....and Borna serves it out at love, probably his easiest service game of the match.

 

[Eco]

Can not believe after Friday's results the U.S. are left with Sock. Not what I had imagined at all, but hopefully Jack pulls through.

 

[kihei]

Congrats to Croatia for a remarkable comeback victory on foreign soil.

 

[Tuggy]

Quite the choke. Never good to see Cilic win though.

 

[Eco]

Total collapse by US there. Awful...

Semis are going to be -

Great Britain (1) (C) vs Argentina (6)

France (5) vs Croatia (c)

My predictions are the Argentina surprises GB, and France cruses to the Finals, and ultimately a Davis Cup Championship.