Monday Topspin: Kazakhstan is not weak
(Yes, I know the Seinfeld reference is about the Ukraine. It seemed appropriate nonetheless.) Sure, Radek Stepanek didn’t play, and Tomas Berdych may not have been 100 percent. But really, did...
View ArticleTuesday Topspin: Back in the USSR
This is what we in the tennis blogging world call a “slow news day.” Davis Cup is over, and the Indian Wells main draw hasn’t been released. Oh well, we’ll make do. Star maps: Indian Wells has done a...
View ArticleIs Davis Cup About the Chalk?
In today’s tennis landscape, Davis Cup is a weird anachronism, in which no-name players contest five-set epics for national glory. The usual guidelines about the invincibles and the journeymen are set...
View ArticleTeam GB and the Rarity of Davis Cup Comebacks
Last weekend, the British Davis Cup squad pulled off a major upset, defeating the Russian team 3-2. Even more impressively, all three of their wins came while facing elimination. The Russians won the...
View ArticleAre There More Five-Setters in Davis Cup?
There’s no denying that Davis Cup gives us some of the most dramatic moments on the men’s tennis calendar. It’s easy, then, to fall prey to some mistaken conventional wisdom, such as the canard that...
View ArticleIn Search of Davis Cup Heroes
Come up big for one important weekend, and you can earn a reputation as a Davis Cup hero that lasts a lifetime. We tend to remember big stories and crucial moments more than career-long trends, so...
View ArticleDoubles Wins and Davis Cup Results
Today, Tomas Berdych added another chapter to his outstanding Davis Cup doubles career, partnering Radek Stepanek to give his Czech Republic a 2-1 lead in this weekend’s Davis Cup final. The absence of...
View ArticleBerdych, Djokovic, and Stars in Davis Cup
Tennis fans–especially the more old-fashioned among us–tend to agree on some things that players should always do. Among them: revere Wimbledon, admit to a net touch, and play Davis Cup. The top...
View ArticleUnlikely Davis Cup Finalists and an Early Forecast for Ghent
Among nations that have reached Davis Cup finals, neither Great Britain or Belgium quite fits the mold. The fortunes of the UK team depend almost entirely on Andy Murray. If you have to choose one...
View ArticleShould Andy Murray Skip the Tour Finals to Prepare for Davis Cup?
After advancing to the Davis Cup final, Andy Murray floated the idea that he might skip the World Tour Finals to prepare. The Belgian hosts are likely to choose clay for November’s Davis Cup tie (in...
View ArticleForecasting Davis Cup Doubles
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Davis Cup is the spotlight it shines on doubles. At ATP events, doubles matches are typically relegated to poorly-attended side courts. In Davis Cup, doubles gets a...
View ArticleBest of Five and Marin Cilic’s Improbable Collapse
Leading up to the final two rubbers of this year’s Davis Cup final in Croatia, the hosts were heavily favored. They held a 2-1 advantage, and both of the remaining singles matches would pit a Croatian...
View ArticleHow Argentina’s Road Warriors Defied the Davis Cup Home-Court Odds
The conventional wisdom has long held that there is a home court advantage in Davis Cup. It makes sense: In almost every sport, there is a documented advantage to playing at home, and Davis Cup gives...
View ArticlePodcast Episode 3: Champions Young and Old
In the Episode 3 of the Tennis Abstract Podcast, Carl Bialik and I discuss Francesca Schiavone and Marketa Vondrousova, the WTA titlists from last week at opposite ends of their career. We speculate on...
View ArticleOverperforming in Davis Cup
This is a guest post by Peter Wetz. With the help of weighted surface specific Elo ratings we have a powerful new tool to measure player performance. The traditional conclusion of the tennis season,...
View ArticlePodcast Episode 22: Davis Cup, Present and Future
Episode 22 of the Tennis Abstract Podcast features a new voice for the show, Austrian tennis fan and occasional guest blogger Peter Wetz. Peter and I delve into the weekend’s Davis Cup action, with...
View ArticlePodcast Episode 29: A New Davis Cup and a Career Golden Masters
In Episode 29 of the Tennis Abstract Podcast, with Carl Bialik of the Thirty Love podcast, we spend so much time talking about the Davis Cup reforms, if ITF head David Haggerty were to listen, he’d...
View ArticlePodcast Episode 47: Davis Cup and Another Week of Tennis Shenanigans
Episode 47 of the Tennis Abstract Podcast, with Carl Bialik of the Thirty Love podcast, takes a look at all things Davis Cup, including the early exit of a Federer-less Swiss team, the unexpected La...
View ArticlePicking Favorites With Better Davis Cup Rankings
Yesterday, the ITF announced the seedings for the first new-look Davis Cup Finals, to be held in Madrid this November. The 18-country field was completed by the 12 home-and-way ties contested last...
View ArticleForecasting the Davis Cup Finals
It took more than a year to decide on a new format, but barely a week to make the draw. With 12 countries qualifying for the inaugural Davis Cup Finals in home-and-away ties earlier in month, the...
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