It’s the final day of Davis Cup World Group I and every team will be desperate to finish this round on the right note, knowing that a strong result here shapes how their nation lines up heading into next year’s Finals. Four matches are on the schedule, all played on indoor hard courts, and there are some proper tour-level names involved. Here are my calls for each rubber.
These two have never crossed paths before, so both players will be working each other out in real time. Erel is a left-hander who likes to use his angles from the baseline and can create problems with the natural shape his groundstrokes produce from that side. That said, Tirante is a very different proposition. He is a grinder who thrives on indoor hard courts, keeps the ball in play at a high level and consistently makes opponents work for every point.
Erel’s variety might cause a few moments of discomfort, but Tirante’s return game and overall groundstroke consistency should be too much to handle over the course of a full match. The Argentine gets through this one without too much drama.
Butvilas showed plenty of fight in his opening rubber this weekend despite coming away without the win. He plays an all-court style and is willing to mix things up rather than stick rigidly to one pattern, which makes him a tricky opponent at this level. However, the indoor hard court setting is precisely where Medjedovic’s serve becomes a genuine weapon and that could prove to be the defining factor here.
If Medjedovic lands his first serve at a solid rate and converts when he gets his own return opportunities, Butvilas will find it very hard to get any sustained foothold in the match. The Serbian should control the tempo from the outset and close this out efficiently.
This one could go a bit deeper than the other rubbers on the day. Both Kecmanovic and Gaubas are happiest when they are operating from the baseline, building points patiently and waiting for the right moment to accelerate. Gaubas is a natural counterpuncher who can absorb pressure well, while Kecmanovic will want to make the match physical and test his opponent’s ability to cope with sustained intensity.
Playing in front of a home Serbian crowd gives Kecmanovic an extra edge, and on this surface his ability to dictate from the back of the court should eventually tell. Gaubas may take it to a third set but the Serbian should find a way to close it out.
Cerundolo looked sharp in his first match of the weekend, with his forehand doing real damage even in conditions that do not always bring out the very best in him. That is an encouraging sign heading into this rubber. Alkaya will try to keep Cerundolo off balance by taking the ball early on both return and during rallies, looking to cut off the Argentine’s time and disrupt his rhythm before it gets established.
It is a reasonable enough tactical plan but Cerundolo has far too much quality at this level for it to derail him. His ability to generate pace and angles with that forehand should see him through comfortably.
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