Surface key to Great Britain’s Davis Cup success over France
Published:
Great Britain have two elements in their favour ahead of their Davis Cup quarter-final tie against France, the surface and the world’s number three player in prime form.
Although Andy Murray was a losing semi-finalist at Wimbledon a week or so ago, he was playing supreme tennis at the tournament before meeting a specialist on the surface, playing at an even higher level in Roger Federer.
With no threat of the Swiss God of Grass destabilising him here, Murray’s form can be a real boon for GB as they bid to book a first Davis Cup semi-final since 1981.
Murray has won all five of his singles matches in the competition on grass and returns to the Queen’s Club for this French battle, where he landed the title on the ATP Tour prior to Wimbledon this year and four times in total during his career.
Despite considerable factors weighing in their favour, Great Britain trail France by some distance in Ladbrokes’ outright betting market for the competition.
Possessing a more talented squad – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon are all present – and a history of success in the tournament, they finished as runners-up last year, France sit as joint 11/4 favourites alongside Serbia.
Great Britain, on the other hand, are 5/1 for overall victory, with Australia sat between them and the top of the betting, at 9/2.
There has been little to separate the two nations in the Davis Cup over the years. Each have won nine cups and the French edge the head-to-head match-ups 11-9.
Serbia, who are the fourth seeds, face Argentina on indoor clay in their quarter-final, while the Australians host Kazakhstan on grass in Darwin.
In the bottom quarter final, eighth-seeds Canada visit Belgium to play them on clay in Middelkerke.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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