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Old 01-25-2016, 04:48 AM   #245
Brian Swartz
Grizzled Veteran
 
Join Date: May 2006
World Team Cup Group Phase Third Round
Group 1, Sri Lanka vs. Denmark, Hardcourt

Monday: A. Mehul d. C. Daamsgard, 6-0, 6-1, 6-2
Tuesday: G. Girsh d. J. Petersen, 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 6-4
Wednesday: A. Mehul/G. Girsh d. E. Bengtsson/S. Binzer, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1
Thursday: A. Mehul d. J. Petersen, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1
Friday: G. Girsh d. C. Daamsgard, 6-1, 6-3, 6-0

Sri Lanka defeats Denmark, 5-0!!

Girsh's first match, against Petersen(World no. 40) was more than a bit shaky. He eventually made it through and was solid in his second match, and there was no other drama as Sri Lanka clinched first place in the group. It was enough to edge them just ahead of Mexico into 9th overall in the latest rankings.

The quarterfinal matchups are set, and -- well, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. Austria has Hammerstein back and is very dangerous again, they'll meet Peru and will have the upper hand most likely. The Czech Republic should handle Italy, ditto for the US with France ... and Sri Lanka gets defending champion Germany who finished second in their own group(to Austria) after taking the title last year. Even worse, it's on clay. Again. No, this is not a joke, though I wish it was. It is literally the worst possible matchup.

The German team is the same and I don't expect that to change. There is a chance that the gradual aging process, which is on Sri Lanka's side, will move the needle enough to give us a better chance at an upset than we had in last year's final. After all, this tie won't be contested for about five months. But it's a disheartening result. Any other second-place team from the other groups, or Germany or any other surface, and it would be a near-certain win. There needs to be an investigation into the defending champions' having now a fourth straight knockout tie on their favored surface. Seriously.

At any rate, a week off and Monte Carlo resumes the regular schedule and kicks off the clay season. No time to dwell on this disgusting, unfair, unpleasantness.

Last edited by Brian Swartz : 01-25-2016 at 04:49 AM.
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