[SilverPersian]

Originally Posted by Asadinator

It should be held in Australia. If Sam has trouble coming well it's her problem.

Well, it quickly becomes everyone else's problem if she chooses not to show up like in 2011 and Australia loses the tie ...

[binky-GOAT]

Originally Posted by Vicky88

How many people even bother to watch the matches in person so who cares where it is played. If TA don't give up the home tie it proves it's about ego rather than what is best for our players.

What bullshit. Sam doesn't represent Australian tennis players. Also quite a few people watch these events here.

[binky-GOAT]

Originally Posted by SilverPersian

Well, it quickly becomes everyone else's problem if she chooses not to show up like in 2011 and Australia loses the tie ...

No it isn't. She has to play for Fed Cup, not Fed Cup has to play for her

[SilverPersian]

If you'd prefer the tie to be played at home to promote tennis in Australia and give the fans an opportunity to see Australian players in action outside of January, and that the team's decisions shouldn't be determined by a single player, then I think that's a fair enough view.

But there is a real chance Sam won't sacrifice the continuity of her clay court season to play for a single week on the other side of the world on (possibly) non-clay courts. And as others have noted, Australia minus Sam would be in real danger of losing to Switzerland.

[binky-GOAT]

I agree with your first point.

But Sam will only play 2 matches in Fed Cup, the players from other 3 matches will much rather prefer playing at home than in another country in an environment which will definitely support their opponent.

[stromatolite]

^I strongly doubt that the others would have a strong preference for playing in Australia. All the WTA tournaments in that period are on clay in Europe, so it screws with any of them who are intending to play on that tour (Sam and Jarka at least).

If the tie is played in Australia and Sam plays, she can basically forget Stuttgart, which starts the next day. Sam usually does well there, not least because it's the clay surface that most closely matches that at Roland Garros. Missing Stuttgart would basically leave Madrid (much faster than Paris, hardly a clay court at all) and Rome (much slower than Paris) as her only preparation on red clay before the FO.

That's a big sacrifice to ask of your country's only top 10 player/slam winner in recent history. I can't recall any other top player on the tour ever travelling to literally the other side of the world to play FC just when their best season is starting.

[louloubelle]

Originally Posted by Asadinator

I agree with your first point.

But Sam will only play 2 matches in Fed Cup, the players from other 3 matches will much rather prefer playing at home than in another country in an environment which will definitely support their opponent.

At this point in time you are probably right because its unlikely that we're going to have a big main draw presence there outside of Sam.
Where Jarka's ranking is at the moment, and unless she goes on a tear somewhere, Id expect she'd see Fed Cup as priority than battling the clay quallie rounds. Rodionova the same, if she gets picked. Both seem to have a strong committment to representing their new country.
I think Casey last year played those articifical grass Japanese tournies in preparation for the French, either way, has never prepared that well for the clay anyway.
I think Liv was playing the two clay 25k's in Australia last year.
Barty has to manage her limited schedule and would be happy to get the competitive play than having to train somewhere overseas.

Always been a gripe of mine that the girls don't play enough clay tournies and stick too closely to hardcourts when they can, so I expect they won't be fussed to be in Australia at this time.

[louloubelle]

Originally Posted by stromatolite

That's a big sacrifice to ask of your country's only top 10 player/slam winner in recent history. I can't recall any other top player on the tour ever travelling to literally the other side of the world to play FC just when their best season is starting.

I agree, the more I think about it I just can't see Sam playing. She in her window of being a slam challenger, the French is her likely next slam so it would be extremely risky for her to travel back here. (I'll expect she cop no grief by TA or the Oz media by missing the tie)

We'll have to go with what we've got I expect.

[stromatolite]

Maybe I'm naive, but I'd like to think that TA will keep its eye on the big picture here.

Health permitting, Sam's probably got this year and next of playing at something like her best level. Jarka is showing some promising signs of having turned a corner, and usually raises her level for FC anyway. Ash is just starting to come into her own and is getting better all the time. And even if Liv or one of the other young players doesn't step up to the plate, in Casey or Rodi the team has a capable 4th member.

So all in all we could have a pretty damn good team next year. If we can also get some long overdue luck with the draw, I could see them making the final, and who knows, maybe pulling off the win. So getting back into the WG next year is far more important than a home tie against Switzerland this April.

[louloubelle]

^ I can’t see them moving the tie. The fall-out would be huge if it back-fired and we lost. Though a home tie is not necessarily in the best interests of the players, TA’s track record over the years has not endured them to the media, ex-players etc… who enjoy highlighting their mistakes.

If we lost the tie, the knives would be out big time from these parties. I don’t think TA has enough ‘brownie points’ in the bag to take such a risk.

Or they may say it’s just Fed Cup and who gives a rats.

[guichard]

.^^^ 100% agree. The most important thing is that a tie has never been moved for such reason. So, it is just not going to happen...

What if next year it is Aus vs Japon ??? Aus vs USA ( which would have happened if both had won in the first round)

Stosur is a big girl and will make the best decision for her career. It will not be the first time a top player miss a tie.


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[stromatolite]

^^I'm sure you're both right. Oh well, maybe they can win without Sam.

[Daniel.]

Rodionova, Dellacqua, Gajdosova, Barty versus Oprandi, Voegele, Bacsinszky, Sadikovic... That is a very close call.

[AYUMI-GOAT]

Mhm, Oprandi and Voegele are also playing pretty good tennis lately.

[SilverPersian]

There's also the possibility that some of the Swiss players wouldn't want to come to Australia either. Just depends on how committed they all are. Oprandi likes the clay a lot, doesn't she?