Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/680484
ITFWORLD SPRING 2016 21 www.itftennis.com to Belgian captain Johan van Herck, is part of a team that could shock the Americans. France have a team to beat anyone, anywhere and at any price. It cost millions for their returning charismatic captain Yannick Noah to get his wish of an outdoor tie on clay, featuring a weekend in the tropical Caribbean paradise of Guadeloupe and the 4,000-mile import of tons of the Roland Garros red stuff. Was it worth it? You bet. The sun shone, the crowds sang and danced, Gael Monfils's dad and family, half of whom still live on the island, watched their Guadeloupe-raised boy kick off the tie so proudly and France cleaned up cinq-zero. It was so good that Noah, already eyeing a third triumph as captain two decades since his last, smiled: "I think I might stay for a few days…" It will be no carnival in the quarters in the Czech Republic, though, he knows. Locked at 2-2 against Germany in Hannover after Tomas Berdych had to pull out with injury when two sets down to Philipp Kohlschreiber, that doughty Czech spirit could be relied on again as Lukas Rosol proved too streetwise for the bright young thing Alexander Zverev. The fourth quarter brings together Italy, who overpowered a Fed-free, Stan-free Switzerland 5-0, and Argentina, who have their own unlikely man of steel. Leo Mayer took his unbeaten singles sequence to 11 with two more wins in the 3-2 victory over injury- ravaged World Group new boys Poland in Gdansk. Nothing comes easy, though, in this competition. Switzerland, who suffered their second straight first round exit since their 2014 triumph, could still savour a stirring effort from their 34-year-old journeyman Marco Chiudinelli, who had gone into his first match against Paolo Lorenzi shrugging that the Swiss had almost a Mission Impossible but, unfortunately, he was no Tom Cruise. Was he sure? Out there, two sets down and having lost the longest-ever World Group tiebreak — a wearying 16-14 epic — to a man ranked 92 places higher, he almost pulled off one of the great Davis Cup comebacks but failed to convert three match points. What a match. Not household names, not even the greatest quality of tennis but an unbeatable four-and- three-quarter hours of drama and tension. "That's what makes this competition so great," beamed Italy's 63-year-old captain, Corrado Barazzutti, who with another home tie coming is dreaming that 40 years since he won Italy's only Davis Cup title as a player, it may be time for a repeat. "We play day by day — but why not have your dreams?" he said with a twinkle in the eye. Too true. Whether it be old stagers like him, young guns like Coric, greats like Noah and Hewitt or just the men of steel themselves, the grand old competition still keeps them all dreaming. Bob and Mike Bryan helped USA win against Australia Argentina celebrates victory over Poland