easily?

the USA won one of the live rubbers, and the three they lost went to 4 sets, 5 sets, and 4 sets

that was a difficult tie, especially by Spain's home standards (where they normally destroy opponents)

Ricky, I think winning all the singles matches played could be seen as easy even if they weren't won in straight sets and they did not have a deciding rubber.

I think the chances of Rafa playing in the DC final are very, very slim. If he plays he'll have to play the WTF and I don't think he is ready for that. We shall see.

I hope he plays the exho in Abu Dhabi as I'm hoping to see him there.

Rafa will not play the DC final............

In other news, on his Facebook page there is a picture of Rafa holding an American flag presented to him by the American Ambassador and his wife. Class, bravo Your Excellency! True honor..........

Everybody wants a piece of Rafa......first the Italian Ambassador hosts the Vanity Fair party where Rafa was honored as Man of the Year and now the American Ambassador comes up with this!

You are a gem, Rafa, a treasure................

Rafa is the face of tennis.

I agree ritb that everyone wants a piece of him. He is a great ambassador for the sport and so down to earth with it.

Nadal will not play the final

nor should Nadal fans want him to

Exactly Ricky. Ferrer wants him back to help with Berdy because we know Almugro is a lost cause there though. He may be able to convince him. A repeat of WTF 2009 would be awesome too. Come back Nadal and take your indoor beatings like a man.

I really don't want Rafa in the DC final. I can understand that they might feel stronger with him there but I believe that the team as it stands can give a good account of itself against Berdy, Stepanek etc.

David Ferrer is a strong individual and a great fighter and I am hoping that will give the rest of the team the momentum that it needs.

chr18, fed won't play another USO unless they get a roof. Berdy laid an outdoor beating on him big time, no?

#LabTennis

would be fun if czechs played rosol against ferrer in the first match :) and then stepanek in the fifth, if things are still alive

My prediction for the DC final score:

Ferru vs Steps: Spain
Berdy vs Nico: Berdy
Doubles: Spain
Ferru vs Berdy: Spain

If an upset occurs in the dubs, Nico will take care of Steps in the 5th rubber.

Spain wins.

the Czechs will win the doubles

and i expect Berdych to take care of Ferrer on a lightning-fast indoor hard court. I'd be shocked if he didn't.

They always speculate about Rafa playing DC knowing full well that he won't in the hope of shifting more tickets.

Federer will not make the WTF final this year. chr18, you heard it here first.

Prepare to be shocked, Ricky. We know all about fast, hard court surfaces...........The Americans tried that ploy against the Spaniards, didn't they? Backfired miserably as I recall.....

If Berdych is playing for three consecutive days, then I like Ferrer's chances against Berdych especially when Ferrer is a good retriever and never gets tired and so can go after Berdych's every shot. Moreover, Ferrer can play on the hard courts too, and he can volley well enough to mix things up a little bit against Berdych.

Marc Lopez and Granollers are good enough as a doubles team to stretch the Berdych and Stepanek team to four or five sets and so doing a favor for Ferrer by tiring out Berdych.

PS. When Rafa is back to 100% fitness, don't worry, he'll do well indoors, remember how well he played at WTF2010? Why would someone wish for Rafa to be back when he's still recovering from his injury? Just to see him beaten?? That doesn't prove anything isn't it? Just to show that they can only beat an injured Rafa!! Simple as that! Silly to even wish for that to happen!!

I think Spain will win the doubles. Both Ferru and Nico will win against Stepanek.
If however, Spain loses the dubs, the tie will hinge on the Ferru-Berdych match. Frankly, I don't think Berdy will maintain this level. He will exhaust himself at the WTF where there are more points and money.
Ferru, as we know, is indefatigable and a Davis Cup warrior.
Spain will win.

First of all Nadal should learn how to stop picking his bu11 then not waste time between points, fair play, etc then think about playing tennis. He is a great player but at the same time a bad example for growing up players.

Did you kiss Rafa's ass?
It is a good thing Rafa is an example to growing kids. Imagine if they follow Fed's example and grow up to be annoyingly smug and self-centered, pass snide remarks, cheat by showing the wrong mark etc.
You should be thankful Rafa is humble and never boasts or puts down Fed.
Djokovic and Muzza have followed the example set by the man who could easily have humiliated Fed. They have behaved civilly toward the smug player who has time and again insulted all of them.
The civility among the top players and therefore, by example, followed by the other players, is Rafa's unique gift to the tennis world.

Why's vmm so obsessed with Rafa's butt, that he has to mention it all the time? Rafa is well loved worldwide so I don't see any problem with Rafa and his butt. He doesn't exist to please people like vmm, if you don't like him then don't watch him play, simple as that. There's no need to complain about it all the time, when many others don't have problem with Rafa!

^^^^

Oh I don't know...nothing better to do with his time? This person could just copy and paste the same thing each time he posts. However I do think it's kind of weird that it's always about Rafa's butt!


Regarding the DC final, I agree with both lucky and holdserve. On paper Berdy should beat Ferrer on this surface, but there are other factors that could come into play. Berdy can be inconsistent, crack under pressure and could get tired out.

I am not that confident about Spain in the doubles. I think Ricky is right about that one.

luckystar, 9/19/12 9:24 PM,

I loved your last paragraph about not wanting Rafa to come back when he is not ready. Anyone who would wish that just to see him lose is a loser and no fan of this sport!

We don't know what will be Spain's doubles team but most likely it would be Granollers/Lopez.
Granollers/Lopez might lose to the Bryan brothers but they are quite a force even on hard courts having reached finals both in Toronto and Flushing Meadows.
So if Czech want to win, they may have to field Berdych in the doubles as they did against Argentina. Can Berdych win against Ferrer in the fourth tie after playing two matches back to back? Nothing can be ruled out in Davis Cup but it is highly unlikely.
If the nearly indefatigable Ferrer plays too much tennis the rest of the season and Berdych doesn't, Czech's chances improve.
vmm will probably not watch DC if Rafa is not there.

I also think that the Spanish doubles pair of Lopez and Granollers are quite a strong team and really hope they will be able to win the doubles if they are selected. David Ferrer is the ultimate DC warrior as holdserve said and I feel that this will make the difference.

vmm - if you don't like you don't have to watch - simples.