Publish date.
08-03-2010
Number of images.
9
Britain's Davis Cup disaster: who is to blame?
Telegraph.co.uk | Great Britain's defeat against Lithuania in the Davis Cup was the most humiliating in more than 100 seasons of the international team tennis. ...
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Future in doubt: GB's Davis Cup captain John Lloyd is considering his position
It is far more about the chronic mismanagement of the sport
by the Lawn Tennis Association going back several decades than about
the reverses suffered by James Ward and Evans on Sunday afternoon, the
latter falling 6-7, 7-5, 6-0, 2-6, 6-4.
The LTA spent �500,000 last
year financing its elaborate canteen at Roehampton's National Tennis
Centre, which is five times the annual budget for Lithuanian tennis.
As
Evans could testify, all the five-star nutritional dishes in the world
are not much help when you are faced with a deciding rubber against a
hungry East European feeding off constant adrenalin refills from hugely
patriotic support.... Open »
Support: Britons fly the flag in Vilnius 'I'm going to go away and think about it. I'll ask myself if I
screwed up, if anyone could do the job better. I don't do this job just
so I can walk around in a tracksuit saying I'm the Davis Cup captain.'
Lloyd may stay or he may go, but does it really matter anyway when Andy
Murray decides he has far more important things to do with his career
than create a false impression of Britain's standing?
Whoever is in
charge will still be faced with the job of making a silk purse from a
sow's ear. And such is the LTA's incontinent way with money that the
compensation they would have to pay on the remaining 18 months of
Lloyd's part-time contract would run into six figures.... Open »
Struggle: James Ward toils on his way to defeat by Ricardas BerankisEvans showed admirable composure in
saving two set points in the opening tie-break when a local started
sneezing during his serve, sparking furious protests from Lloyd to the
match referee.
The line calling was also dreadful throughout, although
Lloyd creditably admitted it went against both teams.
Victory seemed to
beckon but, halfway through the second set, Grigelis suddenly started
playing more like a top 50 player than the world No 521 for the next 45
minutes.
Evans did well to re-group for the fourth when it seemed the
extraordinary form of Grigelis had extinguished itself.... Open »
Second best: Dan Evans couldn't better his Lithuanian rival
Should
Turkey not be beaten in July's relegation play-off then those tennis
powerhouses San Marino and Andorra (tax exiles are not eligible for
selection) are among possible opponents as the country which hosts
Wimbledon plumbs the depths of the Europe Africa Zone Group Three for
the first time.
The two singles losses which added up to a 3-2 defeat
- leaving captain John Lloyd considering his position - tell only a
fraction of the story behind Britain falling behind Ireland in Davis
Cup status.... Open »
Evans has lost all four Davis Cup matches he has played in
Great Britain fell to an embarrassing Davis Cup defeat after Dan Evans lost in five sets in the decisive singles match to hand Lithuania a 3-2 victory.The 6-7 7-5 6-0 2-6 6-4 win for Laurynas Grigelis means Britain must now beat Turkey, who lost to Ireland, in a relegation play-off in July. The loser of that tie will drop into Europe/Africa Zone Group III - the lowest tier of the competition. James Ward's loss to Ricardas Berankis meant the final rubber was decisive.... Open »
Lithuania players celebrate victory after Laurynas Grigelis defeated Daniel Evans in the Davis Cup... Open »
John Lloyd, the Britain captain, and coach Paul Annacone watch the final rubber against Lithuania... Open »
Dan Evans shows his pain during the five-set defeat in the deciding singles rubber ... Open »
Davis Cup: GB coach John Lloyd to consider future after Lithuania humiliation... Open »
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