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[Allan]

Allan - all I'm getting is something that looks like a moving hexagonal figure with "loading player" underneath.  Nothing is happening.

I think it's faster when you click on the link to it.

[Tasmanian Devil]

Interesting to hear what Maclagan has to say...

I was most surprised to hear his voice (I never had before).  It isn't what I expected for some reason!

As for the discussion, it was the same old arguments as usual.  It's true about the lack of tennis in schools - during my school days, I only ever had one PE lesson playing tennis.

[Philip]

Being a little bored, I checked out the Davis cup website and found 2 sets of interesting information.

1. GB is 35th in the Davis cup world ranking with 845 points earned over the last 4 years. The recent 5-0 win over roasted Turkey got us a miserable 40 points.  If we stay stuck in this Division II (effectively the 3rd division) then our ranking will quickly head south into the land of oblivion  
http://www.daviscup.com/ranking/current.asp

2. Andy has the best win/loss Singles ratio of 10 wins and 1 loss.  Fred Perry is second with 34-4 record. Tim has a good record of 29-8.  The fact that Andy has won almost every Singles match he has participated in makes the GB Davis cup coach very keen to enlist his service (not that there is anyone else remotely as good).
http://www.daviscup.com/teams/playerwinloss.asp?team=GBR

This gets me thinking.  Andy's record is likely due to him playing opponents way below him in the ATP Singles ranking but I think is also due to his enormous commitment to GB  (Andy played and won 2 matches against Poland when his wrist was hurting him yet he did not go into moaning mode).  If Andy can transfer this kind of dedication and focus into his Singles match then his GS destiny can be fulfilled.

[Philip]

Leon has hope.  He enlisted the service of Judy to give short but useful advice to the GB players so they can focus on their opponent's weaknesses and hence the 5-0 thrashing.  They were also a little fortunate that Turkey number 1 player was worn out after playing in a tournament in the previous week and that the tie was in GB.

How good Leon is on his own without Judy's help is anybody's guess.  He can't be bad considering that he was Andy's coach at one stage.

[Philip]

Yes, I have.  Thanks for the link.

http://www.murraysworld.com/forum/andy-murray-message-board/news-articles/msg577090/#msg577090

[Philip]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bendirs/2010/07/great_britain_play_turkey_in.html

Interesting comments in this link.  It helps to reduce expectation on Andy participation.  Still we should win the next tie.

[Aileen]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bendirs/2010/07/great_britain_play_turkey_in.html

Interesting comments in this link.  It helps to reduce expectation on Andy participation.  Still we should win the next tie.

Philip, GB plays Tunisia next.
 
Great Britain to face Tunisia in 2011 Davis Cup opener  
 
Great Britain will begin their 2011 Davis Cup campaign with a home tie against Tunisia in March.

Captain Leon Smith's team will be hot favourites for the Europe/Africa Group II meeting, whether world number four Andy Murray plays or not.

Marek Jaziri, ranked 420th, is the only Tunisian player inside the world's top 1,000, while Britain have seven players above him in the standings.

Britain need three wins next year to secure promotion back to Group I.

The tie takes place from 4-6 March and victory over the north Africans would set up a meeting with either Luxembourg or Ireland in the second round.
 
Smith's team completed a 5-0 whitewash over Turkey in their Group II play-off in July to avert the threat of relegation.

"The preparations for March start today," said Smith. "We want to build on the progress we made against Turkey in July, so we won't take anything for granted, and we won't leave anything to chance.

"We always get such fantastic support from our fans, so it's great to get a home tie."