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Davis Cup Preview: Did Australia Humiliate Sock and Isner?
20 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
Listening to the Davis Cup player interviews at the Davis Cup site Jack Sock revealed that there was some joking or light mocking by the Australian team about the South American tournament failures by Sock and Isner the last two weeks. Sock said the “humiliating” remarks by a member of the Aussie squad were of questionable taste and certainly have added “fuel to the fire” and given Sock “extra motivation to get the W” at Kooyong where he will play singles against Bernard Tomic and Sam Groth. Sock has a 3-0 mark vs Tomic but this will be the first meeting on Tomic’s favored surface of grass. Isner also has beaten Tomic in Delray Beach but Tomic feels he has an advantage playing on grass and if he “serves well and returns well” he’s confident of beating both Isner and Sock. An interesting angle of this tie is that captain Lleyton Hewitt is expected to insert himself into an active playing role in the tie – after Nick Kyrgios pulled out because of illness – and Hewitt has winning head to head records against Sock and Isner both of whom he has beaten on grass. Play begins tonight at 7 on Tennis Channel.
Aussies engaging in subtle trash talk?
Jg · March 3, 2016 at 7:18 pm
Tiafoe beat Groth pretty easily, maybe he should be on Davis cup team, do you think Izzy will take him?
Dan Markowitz · March 3, 2016 at 8:31 pm
Izzy cruising on Groth 2 sets to love. I don’t think Hewitt will put himself in at singles, but maybe in the dubs.
Jg · March 3, 2016 at 8:44 pm
Izzy returning well
Scoop Malinowski · March 3, 2016 at 9:48 pm
Isner isnerized Groth and it was one of his finest performances – incredible return winners and saving key break points in the first set – Isner should wrap it up on Sunday vs Bernie – but I suspect Hewitt will insert himself into Sunday’s singles if Aus is still alive – I believe Sock will win vs Bernie and the Bs will clinch in the dubs – very surprised by how unalive the Aussie fans are – Isner really crushed their spirit with that gigantic blowout win vs Groth –
Dan Markowitz · March 4, 2016 at 12:35 am
Sock went sock-less against Bernie. I didn’t see most of it, but it was short and sweet for Sock who went down in four sets. This is not a good surface for Sock and the way he’s playing, I’d have put QBall on the team. Now the Bryans have to win doubles point or you’re asking Sock to beat Hewitt, presumably, and Izzie to beat Tomic.
Scoop Malinowski · March 4, 2016 at 7:13 am
Well done by Bernie showing that Sock is vulnerable when pulled out wide to his big forehand – Dr Hewitt undoubtedly designed the successful gameplan for Bernie – now it comes down to best of three – the doubles will be high pressure which should favor the Bryans as Peers/Groth have little experience or chemistry together – Hewitt has some big decisions to make now –
Dan Markowitz · March 4, 2016 at 8:17 am
Good analysis there, Scoop, and maybe JG was right, Captain Courier should’ve gone with Tiafoe, although what background on grass does he have? Does Sock have a weakness going out wide to the fearhand? He certainly likes stroking it inside out better, but he’s not like Roddick in that he basically only went inside-out.
A little weird having Gimel do the commentary for his charge, Izzie. It was almost like Gimel was having an orgasm (tying it into our last post on Sex and Tennis) out in the TC headquarters in LA watching the match.
Tomic has been playing well, but not that well. I mean in Delray he went down to Rajeev Ram (now if Courier was thinking out of the box a bit, he definitely would’ve chose Ram over Sock. Ram has won Newport twice. Sock might’ve made the semis at the Hall of Fame once. And Ram’s a great doubles player too). So for Tomic to beat Sock on the grass rather easily doesn’t bode well for Sock and the US.
Jg · March 4, 2016 at 8:47 am
Get a plane ticket for Ram fast, did Gimel infer Australia should have gone with Hewitt who would have been trouble for Izzy
Scoop Malinowski · March 4, 2016 at 8:52 am
jg was the first to nominate Rajeev Ram to the team – but would you really like Ram’s chances on Sunday vs Hewitt or Groth? I sure would not especially because Ram has never been a part of any Davis Cup team so he’s unfamiliar with the pressure – Sock accounted himself well vs Tomic and I like Sock’s chances on Sunday (if the Bryans and Isner split) vs Groth (1-7 so far this year) or Hewitt –
Scoop Malinowski · March 4, 2016 at 8:59 am
Gimel was saying he thinks Isner should serve and volley more vs Groth and Courier disagrees with that idea – Last night Isner did not serve and volley at all (at least I can’t recall any) and his serve was lethal enough that Groth couldn’t even get it into play most of the time – you wonder how much more effective Isner would be if he serve and volleyed at least once a game on grass?
Andrew Miller · March 4, 2016 at 9:30 am
Tomic has had a good run as of late. Sock hasn’t even if Sock has taken more risk in playing on the dirt in South America. This result isn’t that surprising, and I’m doubtful Ram would’ve spelled the difference. However, dropping the Bryans for Ram plus one might have given a little more flexibility, though again doubtful whether that would’ve knocked out Tomic yesterday.
Scoop Malinowski · March 4, 2016 at 10:29 am
Yes he did jg – Gimel did imply Hewitt would have had a better crack at Isner but this was after Groth blew his four break points in first set and Isner’s challenge showed his tiebreak shot nipped the line to give Isner the mini break – If Groth breaks at 2-2 in first set who knows how the rest would have played out – though Isner still would have been expected to win even if he lost the first set –
Thomas Tung · March 4, 2016 at 1:20 pm
Just heard that Bud Collins passed away. RIP to Bud, I always liked reading his articles and thought he was a nice guy and a fine tennis journalist.
Andrew Miller · March 4, 2016 at 1:20 pm
Australia, even without Kyrgios, remains the favorite because of Socks poor play and, frankly, Tomics guts, which often go walkabout. Isner has his hands full. I don’t like Socks chances against anyone in a fifth rubber but if he digs in he will have a shot given his opponent wont be Tomic .
Scoop Malinowski · March 4, 2016 at 7:45 pm
Very nice man Thomas – always approachable and friendly and he liked everyone in tennis – I’d be shocked if he had one enemy – Well I guess Rios treated him badly as his partner Ruth told me about for the Rios book I did but that has to be the rare exception – Bud loved everyone in tennis and everyone loved him –
Scoop Malinowski · March 4, 2016 at 7:46 pm
Andrew I disagree about Sock he played pretty good tennis but Tomic was on fire – he did not play a bad match or choke he just came in second best to an in form and very confident Tomic on his best surface – I still believe in Sock and he can take down Groth or Hewitt on Sunday –
Andrew Miller · March 4, 2016 at 10:13 pm
Sock can get up for matches for sure. He rose to the challenge in Uzbekistan against a good player. He should be able to beat Groth, who is having a Steve Johnson kind of year at present. But Socks year after January is similar to Groth . Few wins and lots of question marks.
Why wouldn’t Groth want to close this out? No way Hewitt plays. That would smash his players confidence in him as captain .
Scoop Malinowski · March 5, 2016 at 6:48 am
If Bernie beats Isner Hewitt will play Sock – I can feel it – Groth 1-7 all year Hewitt is a legend and playing great – Groth was awful vs Isner – Groth can’t handle the pressure right now as well as Hewitt – Hewitt is the proper choice to play Sock – But I think Isner will beat Bernie –
Andrew Miller · March 6, 2016 at 11:44 am
Finally answered. Could I get a game off Jarkko Nieminen? Jarkko came out of retirement to beat his #2047 ranked opponent 6-0,6-0,6-0. So the answer is an emphatic NO. I can get a point off Jarkko but not a game.
Harold · March 6, 2016 at 12:08 pm
Wow!! Kukushkin keeping Djoko on the court for almost 5 hours in DC. Quick turnaround to IW, might bring a surprise winner.