Latest Tennis News: Quick on the Draw – Insurance is the name of the game for the Davis Cup Final

Written by: Global Chick on 26th November 2015

Latest Tennis News: Quick on the Draw - Insurance is the name of the game for the Davis Cup Final |

It is time for the light of British tennis to shine on Kyle Edmund as he makes his debut for Aegon GB in every possible way.

He will lead the British charge in the land of waffles and mayonnaise on chips (fries!) as there were surprises galore in the announcements. Steve Darcis, who has been recovering from injury is the host’s insurance with his outstanding record of winning decisive fifth rubbers – on four occasions he has been the Belgian hero de jour, including in the semi-final against Federico Delbonis, to send Argentina packing.

Leon Smith has had to be just as canny. He has dropped doubles specialist Dominic Inglot, who partnered Jamie Murray to a close loss against the Bryan Brothers in their first round against the USA earlier this year.

But all eyes on Friday afternoon when Edmund will see if he can rise to the occasion against the Belgian No. 1 David Goffin.

He said: “It’s my first match of the Davis Cup for my country. It’s exciting itself, the fact it’s a final. At the same time it’s a team event and the team comes first. My job is to give my best and give my all. The ultimate goal is obviously to put the point on the board for Great Britain.”

Smith explained: I think that it was always going to be a difficult decision who started the weekend. The good thing that coincided with this tie was that the number two singles players had all come into good form. James won a challenger in India, Kyle had won a challenger in South America.

It was actually a really good situation to be in. I think where Kyle’s ranking sits now, and he’s very comfortable on this surface, is why we’re starting that way. But still a very difficult decision.

So what can we expect from the first day’s action? Well, Edmund has indeed been impressive on the clay this year and there is not much between him and Goffin in terms of Win/loss rations with Edmund 16-5, and the Belgian 12-7.

Goffin of course is a world class player, and although Murray wiped the floor with him in Paris the other week, he has the experience both on the tour and in Davis Cup. Now the Brit is perhaps most of the most grounded individuals you could hope to interview or watch in press, but there is no accounting for the fear factor in facing a largely Belgian crowd – the Brits will number barely 10% of the total allocation of tickets.

Edmund said: This is definitely going to be the biggest crowd I’ve played in front of. Probably the biggest occasion. The experience I’ve had close to that is probably in Paris in my first round when I played a French guy in front of a loud French crowd.

“It a new experience for me. It’s something I’m going to have to learn as I go through the match. But it’s a good problem and it’s exciting.”

With the Murray brothers reuniting to play doubles, and with Jamie arguably in the best form of his career, Smith has at least given himself some insurance of his own with keeping James Ward in the side. Ward has been a stalwart dating back to the years when Britain was wallowing in the Zonal groups and has come out with some extraordinary wins.

My first tournament ever to cover was the tie between Russia and Great Britain where we came back from 0-2 down to win and Ward, who was utterly bereft with his second rubber loss was in turn ecstatic at being part of a team that has since been on the way up.

Even with the changes, there is a buzz that would indicate that Great Britain are still the favourites, and in amongst the inevitable continuation of caution amidst the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, and activities just a few miles away in Brussels to bring the fugitives to justice, sport can transcend that aspect of life for just a few hours each day over the weekend.

There are subtle little nods to the fact that the organisers want to help people forget some of the sadness in the world with a ‘Belgian Café’ and a ‘British Pub’ … and at least the venue has warmed up a bit. Located in something akin to an aircraft hangar, now that the doors around the place have been shut after moving in all manner of plat equipment to ready the court. There was even a guy buzzing around on a quad-bike.

The British team were practicing without the aid of the kind of ski-wear that would not be out of place in Monte de Brumes (this is Belgium’s one ski resort and not a mountain of brooms, as the name might suggest).

Whichever way we cut it, the heat will be on tomorrow, and maybe, just maybe, a successor to the Age of Murray may be about to shine.

Ros Satar is a regular contributor to 10sballs.com and runs Britwatch Sports (@britwatchsports), because we Brits like watching sport. Occasionally we’re good at it.

Topics: Andy Murray, Belgian Davis Cup, British Davis Cup, British tennis news, David Goffin, Davis Cup, Jamie Murray, Kyle Edmund Aegon GB, Leon Smith, Sports, Steve Darcis, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

November 26, 2015 at 9:36 am

Quick on the Draw – Insurance is the name of the game for the #DavisCup Final https://t.co/Brt72qGgB1 #tennis @rfsatar @BritishTennis
rfsatar says:

November 26, 2015 at 9:37 am

RT @10sBalls_com: Quick on the Draw – Insurance is the name of the game for the #DavisCup Final https://t.co/Brt72qGgB1 #tennis @rfsatar @B…