Wins For Pouille And Chardy Give France 2-0 Lead Over Great Britain In Davis Cup Quarterfinal - UBITENNIS
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Wins For Pouille And Chardy Give France 2-0 Lead Over Great Britain In Davis Cup Quarterfinal

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6 years ago

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Lucas Pouille

France are in firm control of their Davis Cup World Group quarterfinal tie against Great Britain after wining both opening singles rubbers on day one to take a 2-0 lead in Rouen.

 

Lucas Pouille got France off to the perfect start with a straight sets win over Kyle Edmund 7-5, 7-6(6), 6-2. Both players shared breaks early on in the match before the Frenchman capitalised late on to take the first set. Edmund battled back from a break down in the second set to force a tiebreak and had a commanding 5-2 lead. The world number 17 then attempted an audacious drop shot which clipped the top of the net and went over, had it landed back on the Frenchman’s side he would have been facing four set points against him. Pouille capitalised on that good fortune, reeling off four points in a row to get to set point, the Brit saved the first but could not prevent his opponent from taking a two set lead. With such fine margins separating the two players in the opening two sets, Pouille then took control in the third and put France 1-0 up in the tie.

Jeremy Chardy produced an even more impressive performance as he took full advantage of Dan Evans lack of recent matches on clay, defeating the Brit 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. The Frenchman received a late call up to replace Gilles Simon and justified his selection, racing into a 5-0 lead. Evans managed to hang with Chardy, who was playing his first Davis Cup tie in six years, early on in the second set but not for anywhere near long enough. The Frenchman cruised through his service games and wrapped up both sets two and three with a 6-3 score line to put France 2-0 up.

Pouille Defeats Edmund 7-5, 7-6(6), 6-2

Pouille got the home side off to the perfect start after securing an early break. A double fault from the Brit handed the world number 17 two break points and the Frenchman capitalised on the second with a backhand down the line winner. In the following game the French number one for the tie threw in a poor service game, producing unforced errors to hand the break straight back.

After a series of service holds Edmund came under pressure in the eleventh game as he faced a couple of break points. The Brit hung tough and fired down two aces to keep him in the game but frustratingly fired an attempted forehand cross court winner just wide to relinquish serve. After securing a crucial break, Pouille took full advantage and closed out the set after Edmund’s rallying shot went just long, sealing the set for France 7-5.

Pouille went from strength to strength at the start of the second set, breaking immediately with a forehand down the line winner to take a 1-0 lead. Edmund came under further pressure in the seventh game at 30-30 and deuce on serve but the Brit held on to ask the question of the world number 17.

Surviving in that game proved to a turning point in the Brit’s favour as Edmund broke back following some nervy looking unforced errors from Pouille. After back to back service holds the players found themselves in a tiebreak. A double fault from the Frenchman handed the world number 47 the first mini break. Edmund took full advantage and quickly moved into a 5-2 lead. The tides then turned and the Frenchman reeled off four points in a row to move to set point. The Brit could not deny Pouille on a second occasion as he took a two sets to love lead, winning the tiebreak 7-6(6).

Edmund had two opportunities to break the world number 17’s serve in the fifth game, but both chances past him by. After failing to capitalise the Brit quickly found himself 0-40 down in the next game and despite saving two chances the world number 47 dropped serve. That proved to be the British number three’s last stand as Pouille closed out the set and match 7-5, 7-6(6), 6-2.

Jeremy Chardy

Jeremy Chardy (Photo: Zimbio.com)

Chardy Defeats Evans 7-2, 6-3, 6-3

Chardy followed in his compatriot’s footsteps and made a fast start, breaking immediately and moving 3-0 in front. The fourth game was a real battle as Evans battled to keep his hopes in the set alive. In a game lasting over nine minutes, both players had chances, but it was the Frenchman who came away with the break on his third opportunity after the Brit continued to make unforced errors and he quickly found himself 5-0 down.

Evans got a game on the board in his next service game and managed to pull one of the breaks back, taking his third opportunity. Those couple of games in a row from the world number 44 proved to be a temporary momentum switch as Chardy swiftly moved to set point on Evan’s serve. The Frenchman closed out the set with a backhand return of serve cross court winner.

The second set started out as a close affair, with both players holding their opening two service games. Evans then produced a service game to forget, quickly falling 0-40 down as he struggled to execute his slices effectively enough. Chardy secured the break and went on to secure a two sets to love lead, holding serve, finishing with a inside out forehand cross court winner.

Chardy gained another early break of serve at the start of the third set and victory for the Frenchman looked inevitable as Evans looked to be struggling for ideas out on court, falling 0-40 behind on serve in the fifth game. The Brit did not have too much to shout about throughout the match but he was able to recover in that game and win five points in a row to close the gap to 3-2.

Evans, playing his first competitive match on clay in two years, managed to stave off break points in his following service game but could not make any inroads on Chardy’s serve. The Frenchman produced a flawless performance from start to finish as he secured the straight sets victory 6-2, 6-3, 6-3, justifying his late call up by captain Yannick Noah.

France are certainly in the driving seat in the tie, but there is still a long way to go to decide the outcome of this Davis Cup quarterfinal as the teams prepare for the doubles rubber on Saturday.

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Davis Cup

Great Britain Announce Davis Cup Team, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic Also Feature

Andy Murray, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic all feature for their respective countries in Davis Cup action in September.

Published

1 month ago

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14/08/2023

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Andy Murray (@the_LTA - Twitter)

Great Britain have announced their Davis Cup team that will compete in the group stages in Manchester.

 

The British team will include former world number one and Grand Slam champion Andy Murray as well as British number one Cameron Norrie.

Completing the line-up will be Washington champion Dan Evans as well as recent Wimbledon doubles champion Neal Skupski.

Great Britain will take on France, Australia and Switzerland as they look to seal their spot in the last eight in Malaga.

Speaking about the week, captain Leon Smith said he was looking forward to playing in front of the energetic Manchester crowd, “We can’t wait to play Davis Cup in Manchester in front of a huge home crowd,” Smith told the LTA website.

“It’s been a long time since we played in the North West and I’m sure we are going to feel and hear a lot of energy from the fans. We have a great team with a lot of Davis Cup experience who will be ready to give it everything in a tough group with Australia, Switzerland and France.”

The first match for Leon Smith’s men will be on Wednesday 13th of September against Australia with their campaign concluding on Sunday 17th of September against France.

Meanwhile Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are among those who will be competing in the Group Stage.

Alcaraz and Djokovic could end up facing each other in September as Spain and Serbia feature in Group C alongside the Czech Republic and South Korea.

Other stars that are set to feature in the group stages of the Davis Cup include Jannik Sinner, Stan Wawrinka, Alex De Minaur and Frances Tiafoe.

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ITF Vice-President Calls Former World No.1 Doubles Star Mahut ‘Ignorant’ Over Davis Cup Comments

Bernard Giudicelli’s controversial remarks about the 41-year-old tennis player have sparked a backlash from some top names within the French tennis circuit.

Published

7 months ago

on

09/02/2023

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A war of words has broken out between one of France’s most respected Davis Cup players and the former head of the country’s tennis federation following comments he made about the event. 

 

Nicolas Mahut, who is a five-time Grand Slam champion in doubles, has spoken out against the current state of the Davis Cup after Kosmos and the International Tennis Federation recently ended their collaboration after just five years. Kosmos originally pledged to invest $3bn in the event over 25 years in what supporters said would help transform the competition. The deal was given the green light during an ITF AGM meeting in 2018 but critics said it threatened to kill the Davis Cup with the removal of home and away finals.

During a recent press conference, Mahut said he has been angered by the developments which have happened in recent years. Putting blame directly on ITF president David Haggerty, as well as vice-president Bernard Giudicelli who was also the head of the French Tennis Federation (FTT). 

“We have lost four years of Davis Cup. We should never have allowed this experience. Perhaps they thought they were making a good decision, but they immediately saw that it was not working, that the idea of ​​having a kind of World Cup could not work,” said Mahut. 

“It’s a failure. It wasn’t even broadcast on the big channels in France. I’m very angry with [ITF president] Haggerty. He had the nasty idea to let us down, and now we can only wonder what will happen.’

“Also Bernard Giudicelli knows what I think of his decision as vice president of the ITF and president of the FFT. It is evident that he also bears a large part of the responsibility in this fiasco, and I see that he does not question himself. I don’t agree with his reasons that he acted responsibly for the good of tennis. No. His responsibility, as president of the French Federation, was to vote for the interests of the French Federation and its license holders.”

The remarks prompted a fiery response from Giudicelli who branded the 41-year-old tennis player as ‘ignorant.’ The Frenchman is currently the ITF’s Chair of the Development Advisors Group and sits on the Davis Cup Committee. 

Speaking to Tennis Actu, Giudicelli said “it’s not a 41-year-old player who will explain to a 20- or 22-year-old player how things will have to work” and that “Mahut is good for retirement and maybe he becomes a journalist, it will give him the opportunity to make harsh criticisms, which he does quite well.”

The criticism towards Mahut hasn’t gone down well with some of France’s top tennis figures who have branded Giudicelli’s remarks as disrespectful. Mahut has played 23 Davis Cup matches since 2015, winning 16 of those. 

“A great man of French tennis with a great career and an irreproachable state of mind on the one hand @nmahut, on the other a very small disrespectful, arrogant, smug, incompetent and embittered person. No, there will be no match between the two. #réformerladavis,” former French captain Arnaud Clement said. 

Others to weigh in on social media include Edouard Roger Vasselin who said ‘we don’t disrespect Nicolas Mahut like that.’ French Billie Jean King Cup captain, Julien Benneteau, wrote ‘we cannot speak in these terms of a player who, beyond his record (greatest French doubles team of all time with Pierre Hugues-Herbert) always had an irreproachable state of mind.’ Finally, L’equipe tennis journalist, Quentin Moynet, commented on the matter by saying ‘it doesn’t matter if we agree with Mahut or Giudicelli, we can argue without disrespect. 20 years of career, best track record in the history of French doubles, there is a minimum of respect.’ 

Mahut is one of only two Frenchman to reach world No.1 in doubles or singles in the Open Era. He has won 41 ATP titles so far in his career with 37 of those being in doubles.

64-year-old Giudicelli is yet to respond to the criticism he has received following his comments about Mahut. 

NOTE: All quotes in this article were originally in French and have been translated into English.

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Davis Cup

Davis Cup Round-Up: Who Has Qualified For The Finals Group Stage?

Published

8 months ago

on

06/02/2023

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MADRID, SPAIN - DECEMBER 05: Davis Cup by Rakuten Madrid Finals 2021 at Madrid Arena on December 05, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos / Quality Sport Images / Kosmos Tennis)

Over the weekend 12 ties took place around the world to decide which countries would qualify for the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage later this year.

Borna Coric, Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Stan Wawrinka and Cameron Norrie were among those who participated in the historic team competition which began in 1900. There were plenty of highs and lows with some teams rewriting the history books for their countries.

Perhaps the biggest shock occurred at the Espoo Metro Arena where Finland stunned four-time champions Argentina 3-1. Home favorite Emil Ruusuvuori guided his team to victory by winning both of his singles matches in straight sets, as well as the doubles alongside Harri Heliovaara. It is the first time the Scandinavian country has qualified for the Finals stage.

 

History was also made in the South Korean capital of Seoul where the home nation came back from a 0-2 deficit to win a tie for the first time. Taking on Belgium, Korea fell behind after losing to David Goffin and Zizou Bergs on the opening day. However, they turned their fortunes around with a three-match winning streak to become the only Asian team to reach the final playoffs this year.

In one of the most anticipated clashes, Wawrinka guided Switzerland to a thrilling 3-2 win over Germany. The three-time Grand Slam champion endured a roller-coaster run after losing to Zverev in his opening match and then in the doubles alongside teammate Dominic Stricker. However, he clinched the decisive point for his team by defeating Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 5-7, 6-4. Switzerland’s other two points were earned by Marc-Andrea Huesler who defeated Zverev and Oscar Otte.

There was also a close battle between France and Hungary. Tied at 2-2, Ugo Humbert sealed victory for his country by defeating Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 6-3. France has won the Davis Cup 10 times and was runner-up on nine other occasions.

Great Britain prevailed on the South American clay by defeating Colombia 3-1. After Dan Evans lost his opening match against Nicolas Mejia, the Brits bounced back with the help of two wins by Norrie and a crucial victory in the doubles. In the doubles match Evans and Neal Skupski stunned former world No.1 players Juan-Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah. 

Also through to the finals are America, Serbia and the Netherlands who all won their ties 4-0. Meanwhile, Sweden, Croatia and the Czech Republic all won 3-1.

The 12 winning countries will join Canada, Australia, Italy and Spain in the playoffs for the finals in September. The Group Stage will be held at four different venues from 12 to 17 September. The eight best teams will then progress to the finals in Malaga which will be held from 21 to 26 November.

Full results

CROATIA defeated AUSTRIA 3-1
Borna Coric (CRO) d. Dennis Novak (AUT) 6-3 7-5
Borna Gojo (CRO) d. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 6-3 7-6(2)
Alexander Erler/Lucas Miedler (AUT) d. Ivan Dodig/Nikola Mektic (CRO) 6-3 7-6(11)
Borna Coric (CRO) d. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 7-6(3) 6-2

FRANCE defeated HUNGARY 3-2
Zsombor Piros (HUN) d. Benjamin Bonzi (FRA) 7-6(4) 6-3
Ugo Humbert (FRA) d. Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-3 6-2
Fabian Marozsan/Mate Valkusz (HUN) d. Nicolas Mahut/Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) 6-2 7-6(4)
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) d. Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 7-6(6) 6-2
Ugo Humbert (FRA) d. Fabian Marozsan (HUN) 6-3 6-3

USA defeated UZBEKISTAN 4-0
Mackenzie Mcdonald (USA) d. Sergey Fomin (UZB) 64 61
Tommy Paul (USA) d. Khumoyun Sultanov (UZB) 61 76(6)
Austin Krajicek/Rajeev Ram (USA) d. Sanjar Fayziev/Sergey Fomin (UZB) 6-2 6-4
Denis Kudla (USA) d. Amir Milushev (UZB) 6-4 6-4

SWITZERLAND defeated GERMANY 3-2
Marc-Andrea Huesler (SUI) d. Oscar Otte (GER) 2-6 6-2 6-4
Alexander Zverev (GER) d. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 6-4 6-1
Andreas Mies/Tim Puetz (GER) d. Dominic Stricker/Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 6-7(3) 6-3 6-4
Marc-Andrea Huesler (SUI) d. Alexander Zverev (GER) 6-2 7-6(4)
Stan Wawrinka (SUI) d. Daniel Altmaier (GER) 6-3 5-7 6-4

GREAT BRITAIN defeated COLOMBIA 3-1
Nicolas Mejia (COL) d. Daniel Evans (GBR) 6-2 2-6 6-4
Cameron Norrie (GBR) d. Nicolas Barrientos (COL) 6-2 7-5
Daniel Evans/Neal Skupski (GBR) d. Juan-Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah (COL) 6-4 6-4
Cameron Norrie (GBR) d. Nicolas Mejia (COL) 6-4 6-4

SERBIA defeated NORWAY 4-0
Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) d. Andreja Petrovic (NOR) 6-1 6-3
Laslo Djere (SRB) d. Viktor Durasovic (NOR) 6-3 4-6 7-6(8)
Nikola Cacic/Filip Krajinovic (SRB) d. Viktor Durasovic/Herman Hoeyeraal (NOR) 6-4 3-6 6-3
Hamad Medjedovic (SRB) d. Viktor Durasovic (NOR) 6-4 6-7(4) [10-4

CHILE defeated KAZAKHSTAN 3-1
Timofei Skatov (KAZ) d. Cristian Garin (CHI) 6-1 6-3
Nicolas Jarry (CHI) d. Alexander Bublik (KAZ) 6-2 6-2
Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera/Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) d. Andrey Golubev/Aleksandr Nedovyesov (KAZ) 6-4 7-5
Cristian Garin (CHI) d. Alexander Bublik (KAZ) 6-4 3-6 6-3

KOREA, REP. defeated BELGIUM 3-2
Zizou Bergs (BEL) d. Soonwoo Kwon (KOR) 1-6 6-4 7-6(6)
David Goffin (BEL) d. Hong Seong Chan (KOR) 6-4 6-2
Nam Jisung/Song Min-kyu (KOR) d. Sander Gille/Joran Vliegen (BEL) 7-6(3) 7-6(5)
Soonwoo Kwon (KOR) d. David Goffin (BEL) 3-6 6-1 6-3
Hong Seong Chan (KOR) d. Zizou Bergs (BEL) 6-3 7-6(4)

SWEDEN defeated BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 3-1
Mikael Ymer (SWE) d. Mirza Basic (BIH) 6-4 7-5
Elias Ymer (SWE) d. Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1 6-4
Mirza Basic/Tomislav Brkic (BIH) d. Andre Goransson/Elias Ymer (SWE) 6-4 6-2
Mikael Ymer (SWE) d. Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1 1-6 6-3

NETHERLANDS defeated SLOVAKIA 4-0
Tallon Griekspoor (NED) d. Lukas Klein (SVK) 7-6(6) 2-6 6-4
Tim Van Rijthoven (NED) d. Alex Molcan (SVK) 7-6(6) 5-7 6-3
Wesley Koolhof/Matwe Middelkoop (NED) d. Lukas Klein/Alex Molcan (SVK) 6-3 6-3
Matwe Middelkoop (NED) d. Jozef Kovalik (SVK) 6-4 6-4

FINLAND defeated ARGENTINA 3-1
Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) d. Pedro Cachin (ARG) 7-5 6-3
Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) d. Otto Virtanen (FIN) 6-3 3-6 7-6(3)
Harri Heliovaara/Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) d. Maximo Gonzalez/Andres Molteni (ARG) 7-6(5) 4-6 6-4
Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) d. Facundo Bagnis (ARG) 7-5 6-1

CZECH REPUBLIC defeated PORTUGAL 3-1
Jiri Lehecka (CZE) d. Nuno Borges (POR) 6-4 6-4
Tomas Machac (CZE) d. Joao Sousa (POR) 7-6(6) 3-6 6-2
Nuno Borges/Francisco Cabral (POR) d. Tomas Machac/Adam Pavlasek (CZE) 7-5 7-6(4)
Joao Sousa (POR) v Jiri Lehecka (CZE) 6-4 6-1

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