DAVIS CUP TENNIS- GB v FRANCE- Starts Friday 17th at 12pm

[Raahh]

First up is James Ward v Gilles Simon, followed by Andy Murray V Jo Willy Tsonga.

I think the French team are collectively stronger- although it seems an odd decision to leave Gasquet out of the opening matches, when he had such a good Wimbledon. GB are in the semi finals for the first time since 1981.

Here are the squads

Great Britain
Andy Murray (world number three)
Jamie Murray (world number 20 in doubles
James Ward (world number 89)
Dom Inglot (world number 40 in doubles

France.
Gilles Simon (world number 11)
Richard Gasquet (world number 13)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (world number 12)
Nicolas Mahut (world number 22 in doubles)

All at the lovely Queen's club. Fingers crossed the weather is fine.

Hi all good match. Is this played best of 3 or 5 do we know?
I missed the beginning

Hello Mama . It's best of 5 in all Davis Cup matches - but you'll know that now as the match is still going

It's a good match, I'm enjoying it.

Yep lol thanks anyway. Hope tsonga is ok. Wow do the gb team look fired up for this.
AC back to being annoying.....Jamie is playing as well you know...

Me too drama like the atmosphere of Davis cup

I've just switched to Eurosport to see who's commentating... unfortunately it's Simon Reed who is worse than AC and is so useless he shouldn't be let anywhere near a tennis match. So it's back to BBC and AC as the lesser of two evils

Totally agree, it comes to something though when AC is the better choice!

I know! I'm sure there are better tennis commentators around they could use.

Ooh yay! A win for GB

Yes! Not often I support Murray but yay. Love seeing Andy Murray with his brother their banter makes him seem much more likeable. I speak to and about my brothers much the same way

Who do you think will play tomorrow? The French are keeping very quiet about whether gasquet will play and if so who tomorrow.

Oh I really like Andy. I enjoy their banter too, reminds me of how my sons talk to each other.

I'm suspecting Gasquet may play because of his great recent form on grass, but Tsonga & Simon are also good grass court players.

I was wondering how the teams decide - does one team declare their players first and the other chooses who to face them? Or is it done another way?

I've not been able to watch any of this. Not at all sulking.

To make up for it we bought a swing ball set today. DH and I are calling it a draw.

Hi Grouchy . Swing ball? Reminds me of caravan holidays in my youth & having swing ball competitions - great fun.

I love swingball we had one as children but my mum took it away when two of my brothers fought with the bats...there was blood
I guess they have to just declare who is playing otherwise how is it fair? Hence all the secrecy. Unless they take turns to declare first?

fab result! been without internet over a week so couldn't finish the Wimbly talk! .

Beckers back now!

Missed the Wardy match. did he play that bad?

well done murrays, they looked like twins both dressed the same. brilliant match.

AC not too bad today I hate to say. why is Peter Feming there? not that Im complaining, hes gorgeoius! and where has Colin Fleming disappeared to? was wondering why he wasn't with Jamie, although glad the bros played as they won.

I missed EVERYTHING today doing 'family' stuff. Pfft.

I was reading earlier that Wally Masur is very displeased with Cockyknickers and Kyrgios, and has been bigging up the oldies, Groth and Hewitt. Sometimes being an exciting new talent ain't all it is cracked up to be

Am glad the Murrays won- I do like seeing them together, even if I am not an Andy fan. They are clearly very close.

It was a great match,

I had serious doubts about Andy playing in the doubles- first his serve isn't reliable and it he might be too knackered to play at his best on Sunday.

His serve was pretty good today, phew! It remains to be seen how he will play tomorrow.

So it's now 2-1 to GB? Reckon the French might call on Gasquet tomorrow.

I read that they can change the line up an hour before the match.

Yeah Gasquet will be all fresh and bouncy.

Yep it's 2-1 gb we need to win one of the matches tomorrow.
If he's fit I can't see why the French wouldn't call on gasquet to play, he'll be fresh and Murray will be tired so if he beats Murray it would give ward a very difficult must win match against probably tsonga.
Apparently exactly who is playing can be decided very late in the day and it is done so at the same time so no team has the advantage of picking definitely knowing who they will face.
(I googled, my brother has taken all but my youngest out for pizza so I can actually use the iPad )

Considering Davis Cup is a team thing, it says a lot about the state of British tennis that they have to rely on one player play in 3 out of the 5 matches. It isn't ideal. Probably not the only country in the same boat, though.

I also feel a bit sorry for Ward- he was very, very instrumental in getting them to this tie, - and might end up being remembered as the one who lost 2 matches Glad to see he is still rocking the spotty socks, though.

And ANOTHER wedding! Deliciano Lopez got married yesterday too.

Definitely all go for tennis weddings this week!

Deliciano got married?? . Waaahh, say it isn't so!!!!

Drama- I know- Judy Murray must be upset...

It was Judy who gave him the name, wasn't it?

it was drama. Andy pretended to be horrified by her

Again, it looks like I will miss a big chunk of this today. Will the summer fairs never end???