Davis Cup: Great Britain v Australia Semi Final Preview
Davis Cup: Great Britain v Australia Semi Final Preview
Attention is starting to switch to the impending Davis Cup semi finals, with the tie of the round seeing Great Britain host Australia. Neither team have had the perfect lead up, although they both have plenty of time to prepare for what it a huge tie for both countries.
With an already fierce sporting rivalry between the two nations across a number of disciplines, on the tennis court Great Britain will go in as slight favourites. Like in the Ashes, they will have home advantage and have opted for a return to the Emirates Arena in Glasgow.
They are indoor hard courts that have created some memorable matches in the past. Playing in Scotland seems to get the best out of Andy Murray in particular, who has made no secret of the added passion he has when representing his country.
The tie is set to be played in Glasgow from 18 to 20th September, allowing players plenty of rest from the US Open and other exploits in North America. Fortunately there is no need to transition onto another surface, which is a classic pitfall of the Davis Cup.
Teams
| Great Britain | Australia |
|---|---|
| 1: Andy Murray (3) | 1: Bernard Tomic (24) |
| 2: Kyle Edmund (103) | 2: Sam Groth (83,doubles) |
| 3: Jamie Murray (15, doubles) | 3: Richard Gasquet (71) |
| 4: Dom Inglot (39, doubles) | 4: Nicolas Mahut (355) |
| Captain: Leon Smith | Captain: Wally Masur |
Key Players
Andy Murray (GBR)
Andy Murray bares the weight of responsibility one again. I am sure that he will play both two singles and the doubles rubber for a number of reasons. He will want to tie to be in his hands and will know this is a fantastic opportunity to win the Davis Cup for the first time.
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He will also be keen to right the wrongs of his US Open fourth round defeat. Ahead of the Davis Cup quarter final against France we questioned his ability to bounce back from a huge disappointment, but he showed that he is capable of doing just that.
Finally, his reduced schedule for the rest of the season is a signal that the Davis Cup is top of his agenda. He only intends to play three more tournaments this year outside of the Davis Cup, so even if his tank is running on empty, his next tournament won’t be until October.
Jamie Murray (GBR)
Jamie Murray has had the best year of his career in doubles and either partner, Dom Inglot or Andy Murray, will be led by Jamie, who is the most experiences and successful doubles player in the team. Still alive in the US Open semi finals, he will be confident coming into one of the most important doubles rubbers in recent memory.
Sam Groth (AUS)
There is pressure through the Australian team given all the drama surrounding them in recent months. However, coming in as underdogs makes them dangerous. Sam Groth could be relied of for three ties like Andy Murray, given his experience in doubles. This makes his part absolutely fundamental to any Australian success.
Be sure to keep an eye on Lob and Smash for the latest Davis Cup action as the semi final ties get under way, with predictions, results and opinions over the course of a fascinating three days play.
Please do share your thoughts in the comments below and on Twitter.
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