Both teams finally announced their line-ups for this first round clash between two former dominators of the competition. Let’s have a look at the venue and to some stats in preparation for the tie.
The heat is on: 40C today in Melbourne. The heat is on also for the Davis Cup as Australia and USA announced the line-ups for their clash in the first round of Davis Cup 2016 in Kooyong.
Led by captain Lleyton Hewitt, Australia will be represented by Hewitt himself, Bernard Tomic, Sam Groth and John Peers (double specialist, at his first Davis Cup appearance). Hewitt stands in as a replacement for the sick Nick Kyrgios. Jim Courier will have John Isner, Jack Sock, and the Bryan brothers.
Let’s have a look at some stats about the venue and the players.
The Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club is internationally renowned as “The Spiritual Home of Australian Tennis” (by the way if you want to join the club you better hurry up, as the waiting period is approximately ten years from application). What a better venue to host “the Davis Cup’s tie of ties“, between two nations which dominated the competition for over 30 years consecutively and won a total of 60 Davis Cups (32 for the USA and 28 for Australia).
For the occasion the centre court has been resurfaced with lawn to give an extra flair to the tie. This will be the 46th time the two nations meet, with the Americans leading the head-to-head 25-20. Last time they met was in the last century – 1999 – with Lleyton Hewitt and Pat Rafter winning their singles to claim a 4-1 victory over Jim Courier’s USA. Both Hewitt and Courier are now team’s captains.
The venue and its history
The Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, known as the Lawn Tennis Association of Victoria, was established in 1892 in the posh suburb of Kooyong (median house price is Aus $3.4 million, a real bargain). Between 1946 and 2006, Australia hosted ten Davis Cup ties in this world famous venue, winning all of them apart from the first one.
- In 1946 Australia lost the World Group Challenge Round Final 5-0 to the Americans Jack Kramer and Ted Schroeder. Despite the final score, excitement was high for the first Davis Cup match in over 25 years.
- 1953 is considered the most epic one, when teenagers, Lew Hoad and Ken Rosewall defeated the USA Tony Trabert and Vic Seixas with a final score of 3-2 after trailing 1-2 after the doubles.
- 1957 was another 3-2 victory over the USA in Challenge Round.
- In 1961, during Challenge Round, Australia defeated Italy 5-0 with Roy Emerson and Rod Laver in singles, and Emerson and Neale Fraser in doubles.
- In 1966 Australia disposed of India 4-1 in Challenge Round, despite the upset of Newcombe and Roche in the doubles.
- 1973 was an Inter-Zone Final, where an ageing Rod Laver, John Newcombe and Ken Rosewell defeated Czechoslavakia 4-1.
- 1983 was somewhat a surprise. In the final, Cash, Fitzgerald, Edmondson and McNamee defeated 3-2 Sweden, led by Mats Wilander.
- Another final in 1986: again a victory, again against Sweden, again with Cash, McNamee and Fitzgerald. Pat Cash defeated Edberg and Pernfors (in an epic 5-setter after being down 2-0) to set up a 3-2 triumph for Australia.
- In 1993 in the first round Australia trashed USA 4-1, with Wally Masur and Mark Woodforde winning their singles, and the Woodies (Woodford-Woodbridge) sealing the victory in doubles.
- 2006 was the only tie played on rebound ace rather than grass; Lleyton Hewitt, Chris Guccione, Wayne Arthurs and Paul Hanley won 5-0 over Belarus 5-0
Kooyong has also been home of the Australian Open between 1972 and 1983, when the Grand Slam was moved to Melbourne Park, hosting the event since. Some of the champions on that centre court were Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert-Lloyd in the women’s singles. Men’s champions included Ken Rosewall, John Newcombe, Mark Edmondson, Jimmy Connors, Roscoe Tanner, Mats Wilander and Stefan Edberg.
So what will happen in the 2016 tie?
It is expected the singles rubbers will see Isner and Sock for the USA, and Tomic and Groth for Australia, while in the doubles Peers and Groth will try to upset the Bryan brothers.
Let’s have a look at the year to date performance of the players, and also their record on grass, starting from the hosting nation.
Currently ranked n. 21, Bernard Tomic‘s year to date record is a win-loss of 8-5, with R32 in Delray Beach, QF in Quito, R16 at the Australian Open, QF in Sydney and SF in Brisbane. On grass he travels with a W/L record of 19/18, 73% first serve points won, 86% service game won, 15% return games won.
It’s expected that Sam Groth (ATP singles 75, doubles 115) will play the singles. He currently has a win-loss record of 12-8 on grass, with 82% first serve points won, 89% service game won and 8% return games won.
Lleyton Hewitt comes in as a late replacement for Kyrgios. The 35-year-old has an outstanding Davis Cup record, winning more matches than any other Australian player in history (42-14). The team Captain enjoyed a strong record on grass during his career. Between 2000- 2014, Hewitt reached ten ATP finals on grass, including his win at the 2002 Wimbledon championships. Despite only being named as a sub for the upcoming tie, an appearance in the doubles is a strong possibility.
Finally, John Peers is a doubles specialist, currently ranked n.9 in doubles, with 7 titles won in his career (6 of which with Jamie Murray, one this year in Brisbane with Finnish player Henri Kontinen) and two grand slam finals in 2015 (both lost) at Wimbledon and Flashing Meadows. He has defeated the Bryan brothers three times, twice on clay, once on grass (Queen’s 2014) and has a YTD win-loss record 8-3.
USA’s line-up will have big John Isner (ATP 11) who from his 208 cm makes the Aussies (all taller than 190 cm) look like little guys. Isner’s record so far this year is a not-so-exciting Win-loss of 4-4, with R32 Rio, R16 Buenos Aires, R16 at the Australian Open and QF in Auckland. His record on grass is 28/17 and 2 titles. He has got a record of 80% first serve points won, 94% service game won, 8% return games won.
Sock is currently ranked ATP n.23, with a YTD record of 5-3 coming from a R32 in Rio, a R64 at the Australian Open, and a final in Auckland; on grass he is at 9-6, with (only) 74% first serve points won, 84% service game won, 16% return games won.
The Bryan brothers will play the doubles. Honestly, not much to be said about them, unless you want to write a book. These identical twins, born in 1978, are the most successful duo of all time. Currently ranked ATP n.5 they dominated the doubles for around 10 years, with 109 and 111 titles for Bob and Mike respectively amongst which one Davis Cup in 2007, 4 World Tour Finals, 16 grand slam titles (3 on grass at Wimbledon in 2006, 2011, 2013), and the Olympics (London 2012).
The head to head sees USA prevailing so far, even if the stats are meagre:
Isner is leading Tomic 1-0 (2012 Delray Beach QF hard) and has never played Groth. Sock has defeated Tomic twice (2014 Shanghai R64 hard, 2013 Stockholm R32 hard) but lost to Groth on grass at Wimbledon.
If you survived the statistics so far, let’s avoid death-by-stats and finish up mentioning the performances on grass in 2015:
Tomic: R32 Halle (Johnson) QF Stuttgart (Nadal) R32 Newport (JP Smith) R32 Wimbledon (Djokovic)
Groth: QF Stuttgart (Troicki) R32 Nottingham (sousa) R32 Wimbledon (Federer)
Isner: QF Queens (Troicki) R32 Newport (Ram) R32 Wimbledon (Cilic)
Sock: SF Newport (Karlovic) R128 Wimbledon (Groth)
The winner of this tie will play the winner of Croatia and Belgium in the quarterfinals.
Edited by Adam Addicott
