TENNIS DAVIS CUP – Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka lead host team Switzerland against Italy at the Palaexpo in Geneva where no less than 18500 spectators are expected. France hosts defending champions from Czech Republic on the famous clay court of the Roland Garros in Paris. Diego Sampaolo
Federer: “I am not surprised, but I would have expected Andreas (Seppi) to play” (English)
Federer: “It’s good to play first. Gives you more time to recover” (French)
Wawrinka: “I will never be as emotional as I was before the final in Australia” (French)
Barazzutti “Bolelli has played well at Flushing Meadows. Thats why I chose him to start against Federer” (Italian)
The Swiss team led by World Number 2 Roger Federer and Number 4 Stan Wawrinka start as the clear favourite against Italy which features Fabio Fognini, Simone Bolelli and Andreas Seppi.
Italy leads 3-2 in their five previous head-to-head matches. Italy beat Switzerland 3-2 in 1932, 5-0 in 1934 and 5-0 in 1980 but Switzerland won their last two matches (3-2 in 1999 and 3-2 in the Playoff in 2009).
Switzerland will play the third Davis Cup semifinal. The red-crossed team will be bidding to reach their first final since 1992 when a Swiss squad led by Marc Rosset and Jakob Hlasek lost 1-3 against the USA led by André Agassi Jim Courier, Pete Sampras and John McEnroe in Fort Worth. The Swiss team reached the second semifinal in 2003 when they lost against Australia. In that Davis Cup match Federer led 2-0 on sets and was 5-3 up in the third set but Lleyton Hewitt recovered to win the match.
Seventeen-time Grand Slam champion Federer and this year’s Australian Open champion Wawrinka will be looking to qualify Switzerland for the second final in Davis Cup history.
It looks the right year for Switzerland to clinch the first Davis Cup in history. It’s one of the few titles missing from the trophy cabinet of Federer.
“As a team we haven’t had much success over the past 50 years, so people in Switzerland still talk about 20 years ago when we made the final. Hopefully, they will talk about this tie in 20 years. That would be wonderful”, said Federer
Federer enjoyed a good summer in which he played one of the best matches of the year at the Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic before reaching the final in Toronto and winning his third title of the season in Cincinnati. At the US Open he lost the semifinal against Marin Cilic who went on to lift his first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows.
Wawrinka won the Australian Open and the Monte-Carlo Master 1000 this year but had ups and downs in the quarter final match against Kazakhstan where he lost against Golubev. Wawrinka won 19 out of 32 singles matches in the Davis Cup.
The match between the two neighbouring countries is expected to be held in front of 15000 enthusiastic spectators. No less than 3000 spectators attended the training session of the Swiss team on Wednesday.
Following Thursday’s draw Federer will play the first match against Simone Bolelli, who reached the third round at Wimbledon and the second round at the US Open and is enjoying a good period of form. At the recent US Open Bolelli lost a five-set thriller against Tommy Robredo where he played a remarkable match
Federer will team up with Wawrinka against Seppi and Paolo Lorenzi in Saturday’s double match but the teams are subject to changes. Federer will take on Fognini and Wawrinka will play against Bolelli in Sunday’s reverse matches
Italian captain Corrado Barazzuti, who won the Davis Cup against Chile in 1976 and was part of the Italian team who beat Switzerland 5-0 in 1980, opted for Bolelli instead of Andreas Seppi as the second singles player.
Wawrinka will play against Italian Davis Cup star Fabio Fognini in the second singles match. Fognini, who reached the Cincinnati quarter final recently, was the Italian hero in the previous two Davis Cup rounds against Argentina and Great Britain. Italy has not reached the Davis Cup final since 1998 when they lost against Sweden in Milan.
Geneva hosted a Davis Cup semifinal back in 1992 when Switzerland led by Marc Rosset beat Brazil 5-0
France vs Czech Republic
The Roland Garros Phillippe Chatrier court will play host the semifinal between two traditional Davis Cup teams France and defending champions from Czech Republic, who won the last two editions of this event and are bidding to qualify for their third consecutive final The Czech team are bidding to win their 12th consecutive Davis Cup match.
French captain Arnaud Clement picked a strong team featuring Jo Wilfred Tsonga, Richard Gasquet, Gael Monfils and Julien Benneteau. The French team will be bidding to reach their first final since 2010. They won 9 Davis Cup titles and are the only team together with the USA able to win on all surfaces on grass, on clay, hard court and indoor.
France plays the third consecutive match at home and won seven of the last eight matches on home soil.
Czech Republic will rely on the experience of two true Davis Cup men Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek plus Lukas Rosol and young rising star Jiri Vesely.
Gasquet and Berdych will play the first match on Friday. The Frenchman leads 5-3 in their head-to-head matches but they tie 1-1 on clay. They have registered three wins apiece since the 2011 Australian Open. The Frenchman won their last match in Miami 2013 with a double 6-3 but they will meet for the first time in the Davis Cup.
Berdych lost in the quarter final against Marin Cilic at the US Open last week but boasts an impressive record in the Davis Cup.
The Philippe Chatrier will have a different look to the traditional set-up during the Roland Garros. The passionate support from the fans will contribute to make the atmosphere inside the famous tennis fans more electric in the pure spirit of the Davis Cup.
“A few things are different being here at this time but they remind you of all these situations that you go through at the Roland Garros. It’s a beautiful experience and we can enjoy the whole set-up we have here. The venue is great for that. Everything is close and very convenient. It is definitely the best place I have ever played away from home”, said Berdych
Jo Wilfred Tsonga, this year’s Toronto champion, will take on Lukas Rosol in the second Friday’s match. The Frenchman won their only match at Dubai in 2012 with 6-3 6-4.
“It’s very special playing at the Roland Garros. I have had so many good memories in Roland Garros non only as a player but also as a young kid. It’s going to be very important to play well here because I would like to have more good moments here”, said Tsonga.
Czech captain Jaroslav Navratil picked Stepanek and Vesely for the doubles match against Monfils (US Open quarter finalist last week) and Benneteau for the doubles match but the teams could be subject to changes. Berdych will take on Tsonga and Rosol will play against Gasquet in Sunday’s reverse matches.
Play-offs: The expected highlights:
Sixteen nations are bidding to secure their spot in the 2015 World Group. A Serbian team without Novak Djokovic will try to avoid relegation into zonal group matches against India in Bangalore The Serbian team will be made up of Nenad Zimonjic, Dusan Lajovic, Filip Krajnovic
A Spanish team formed by Marcel Granollers, Roberto Bautista Agut and doubles specialists Marc Lopez and David Marrero will face Brazil in Sao Paulo.
US Open champion Marin Cilic, who beat Japanese Kei Nishikori at Flushing Meadows on Monday becoming the first Croatian player to claim a Grand Slam crown since his coach Goran Ivanisevic’s triumph at Wimbledon, and rising star Borna Coric will lead Croatia against the Netherlands. US Open doubles champions Mike and Bob Bryan, John Isner and Sam Querrey will host Slovakia in Chicago.
Teenager Nick Kyrgios, this year’s Wimbledon quarter finalist, and 33-year-old Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Groth, who will make his Davis Cup debut, will play at home in Perth against Uzbekistan. Milos Raonic and Vasek Pospisil will lead Canada at home in Halifax against Colombia featuring Santiago Giraldo and Alejandro Falla
The match between the Ukraine and Belgium, which will be played on neutral ground in Tallinn, will feature Sergiy Stakhovsky and David Goffin.
Another match which will take place on neutral ground will be played by Israel and Argentine who travel to Sunrise (Florida). Leonardo Mayer, Carlos Berlocq, Horacio Zeballos and Federico Delbonis will try to continue the tradition of the Argentine team who have played in the World Group every year since 2001.
Novak Djokovic at the 2023 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga (photo by Marta Magni)
Novak Djokovic says his defeat in the Davis Cup on Saturday was a ‘huge disappointment’ but he isn’t taking any credit away from the performance of his opponents.
The 24-time major winner was on the verge of taking Serbia into the final of the competition. Taking to the court after Miomir Kecmanović beat Lorenzo Musetti, Djokovic knew that beating Jannik Sinner would secure his team an unassabile lead. Against the world No.4, he had a 5-4 lead in the deciding set with three consecutive match points at his disposal. However, Djokovic was unable to convert any of them and ended up losing 6-2, 2-6, 7-5.
Then in the deciding doubles match, Djokovic and Kecmanovic lost 6-3, 6-4, to Sinner and Musetti. Resulting in Italy progressing to their first title tie in the competition since 1998.
“Congratulations to Italy for qualifying for the finals,” Djokovic said afterward. “They deserved it. They played really well, particularly Jannik, in singles against me and then doubles, as well. He barely missed a ball the entire match. “For me personally it’s a huge disappointment, because I take the responsibility, obviously having three match points, being so close to winning it. It’s unfortunate really. This is sport. When you lose for your country, the bitter feeling is even greater.”
It is only the fourth time in Djokovic’s career that he has suffered a loss after having match point opportunities. It is also the first time in his career he has been beaten by the same player (Sinner) multiple times in the Davis Cup.
The defeat is a bitter end to what has been a highly successful season for Djokovic who has won three out of the four Grand Slam events held in 2023. Last week he beat Sinner to win his 98th Tour title at the ATP Finals in Turin. To put that tally into context, only Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors have won more ATP trophies than him.
When asked if end-of-season fatigue played a role in his latest performance, Djokovic refused to find excuses. Coming into this weekend, he had won 21 consecutive matches in the Davis Cup.
“I don’t want to talk about it because it’s going to sound like an excuse,” he said. “Obviously this is a tough one to swallow. I was really trying to hype myself and encourage myself for this week. “Throughout the entire season, my thoughts were this week with my Davis Cup team. I tried to contribute. I did in the first tie, but it wasn’t meant to be.”
As Djokovic begins his off-season, Italy will face Australia for the Davis Cup title on Sunday. It will be the first meeting between the two countries in the event since 1993. If Italy wins, it will be only the second time they have claimed the trophy after 1976.
Novak Djokovic practicing at the 2023 Davis Cup finals (photo by Marta Magni)
Novak Djokovic’s comment that it is normal for fans to ‘step over the line’ during Davis Cup ties has been disputed by British team captain Leon Smith who argues that the highly animated atmosphere is a positive.
The world No.1 clashed with a group of British fans during his country’s quarter-finals win. Just moments after beating Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4, to seal an unassailable 2-0 lead for Serbia, Djokovic was frustrated with fans during his on-court interview. Whilst speaking, he had to contend with a group of fans deliberately beating their drums.
“Learn how to respect players, learn how to behave yourself,” the 24-time Grand Slam winner responded to those drumming before adding, “No, you shut up, you be quiet”.
During the match, Djokovic also expressed his displeasure with some of the crowd by cupping his ear and blowing kisses after winning the first set. The tie featured an estimated 5000 British fans in attendance at the event which is being staged in Malaga, Spain.
Speaking during his press conference, Djokovic said he felt that there was ‘disrespect’ from some of those in the stands throughout his match but acknowledged that this was not unusual in the competition. Although he believes the way he reacted was justified.
“In the Davis Cup, it’s normal that sometimes fans step over the line but in the heat of the moment, you react too. You in a way show that you don’t allow this kind of behavior.” He said. “They (the crowd) can do whatever they want but I’m going to respond to that. That’s what happened.’ “I was trying to talk and they were purposely starting to play the drums so that I don’t talk and they were trying to annoy me the entire match.”
Reacting to the incident, British captain Smith has dismissed a suggestion that there should be a review into the policy on having drums during matches when asked if he thinks more should be done to show respect to players whilst they are playing. The former coach of Andy Murray has been in charge of his country’s team for more than a decade and oversaw their run to the title in 2015.
“The best ones are the noisy ones. When it’s flat and dead and no one’s clapping, no music, it’s pretty boring.” Said Smith. “That’s one of the things that’s good about Davis Cup and the team competition that actually you’re kind of meant to make noise. And there is always, whether there is a bit that goes over, comments, I could hear a couple. I don’t think it’s that bad.” “I would hate to see it quietening down because there’s enough quiet tennis as it is. If anything, that atmosphere is good for us.”
In the competition itself, Serbia is set to play Italy in the semi-finals where Djokovic could continue his rivalry with Jannik Sinner. The two clashed twice at last week’s ATP Finals with Sinner winning their group match before Djokovic triumphed in straight sets in the final.
“We’re kind of developing a nice rivalry lately. I have tons of respect for him.” Djokovic said of the world No.4. “He’s been playing arguably the tennis of his life. I saw a little bit of singles and doubles that he won. He really played on a high level. I could see that he was very pumped to play for his nation.’ “I know that he’s confident and playing some of the best tennis that we saw him ever play. But I’m not playing bad myself. So it’s going to be a great match.”
Serbia’s semi-final clash with Italy will take place on Saturday.
MALAGA, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 22: Novak Djokovic of Serbia speaks to the media in a press conference prior to the Davis Cup Finals at Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena on November 22, 2023 in Malaga, Spain. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for ITF)
Novak Djokovic has urged the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to consult more with players regarding the future of the Davis Cup after saying he believes improvements can be made to the event.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion made his remarks about the competition ahead of Serbia’s quarter-final clash with Great Britain on Thursday. This week the eight teams are participating in a knockout competition in Malaga for this year’s title. Those who qualified had to come through the group stages which were held in four cities across Europe with the top two of each group progressing.
Djokovic’s team hasn’t played a tie in their home country since September 2018 which was against India which took place without the tennis star. Something the world No.1 believes is a flaw in the system that he believes needs to be improved for the future.
“I feel that the best format will be somewhere in between the old one and the new one but I don’t think that this is best for the nations participating in the World Group,” said Djokovic. “The fact that we, as a team, have not played in Serbia for many years is not great because we don’t give an opportunity to people in Serbia to watch us play, especially young people and young tennis players.’ “It also allows (our) Federation to benefit in different ways from that home tie. So hopefully that can be back in some way.”
Although Serbia’s wait for hosting a Davis Cup tie could end soon. The ITF has written to the Serbian Tennis Federation twice to see if they are interested in staging one of the group-stage events next September, but they have yet to respond. They also previously contacted Djokovic via the Serbian Tennis Federation after the group-stage event in Valencia with a view to arranging a meeting in Malaga.
The Davis Cup has gone through numerous changes in recent years which was triggered by a deal with investment company Kosmos to revamp the competition. However, Kosmos’ pledge to invest in the event for 25 years didn’t even last five years after the ITF terminated its contract at the start of 2023.
As for the future, Djokovic says that there should be no ‘behind the doors’ discussions on what to do with the team event without the ITF speaking with the players and their federations. However, the modern format was voted in by a 72% majority of the ITF’s member nations at the ITF AGM in 2018. The ITF is one of seven governing bodies operating in tennis. The others are the ATP, WTA and each of the four Grand Slam tournaments.
“I don’t have in my mind personally a perfect format. I think it’s important to put it out on the table and discuss it, but not discuss it behind closed doors. Discuss with players and discuss with Davis Cup teams,” he continued. “I think everyone should have their say because so far no one has been really communicating with us from ITF. So that’s something I feel like should change because obviously we also are a very integral part of this competition. I feel like we can give some valuable information and feedback on what we think is the right way.’ “We will have probably a difference of opinions but I think the home-and-away ties is something the Davis Cup historically has been very famous for.”
Another issue brought up surrounds the location of the finals. Since the competition was revamped in 2019, all of the final ties have been held in Spain despite the ITF’s vow to move the competition around the world.
“Giving one nation to host every year the Last 8 for now three, four years in a row, actually five, Madrid, Malaga, is too much, in my opinion.” Djokovic states. “It has to travel. This is a competition that is played globally. I feel like the Davis Cup Finals, at least if you’re going to keep it at Final 4, Final 8, should travel every year. It shouldn’t stay in one place more than a year.”
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