By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Picture credit score: Davis Cup Fb
Explosiveness and the aspect of shock prompted Captain Bob Byran’s Davis Cup doubles choice.
Captain Bryan opted to start out debutant Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul as last-minute substitutions in opposition to Australians Matthew Ebden and Jordan Thompson within the decisive doubles match of at the moment’s Davis Cup quarterfinals.
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Ebden and Thompson confirmed their prowess posting a 6-4, 6-4 win over the American pair lifting Australia to a 2-1 victory over the US and a return to the Davis Cup semifinals.
Requested about his choice to bench scheduled starters and Olympic silver medalists Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram in favor of Paul and Shelton, Bob Byran mentioned it was the best name.
“The doubles, now we have nice choices on this staff. We’ve got an skilled doubles staff in Rajeev and Austin,” Bob Bryan mentioned. “And we have got quite a lot of firepower from the singles lineup. It was a matchup choice on this case, and I would not change a factor. We have been hoping to catch the Aussies a bit bit abruptly, however these guys rose to the event and served a excessive share, took care of their, you understand, their pictures and stepped up.
“, I am pleased with the way in which we competed. , we may have received it this yr with this staff. This staff has the expertise and the power. It got here inside an inch of getting one other probability within the semis.”
Olympic gold-medal champion Ebden and US Open doubles champion Thompson have been notably efficient closing at internet the place their expertise was evident.
“Thompson, clearly US Open champion, finals of Wimbledon, a really completed doubles participant,” Bob Bryan mentioned. “Matt Ebden received the Olympics. Matt Ebden has seen Rajeev and Austin play a bunch within the final couple of years, and he hasn’t seen an excessive amount of of Ben and Tommy.
“It was a tactical factor attempting to take them abruptly. Ben was clearly on the court docket for 3 hours earlier within the day, so, you understand, you discover rhythm on the market. Tommy, you noticed what he did on the Olympics. All of us respect his doubles. We took a shot at it.
“These guys performed robust. , they’re the most effective doubles groups on this planet proper now, they usually confirmed it at the moment. So hats off to these guys. They carried out properly.”
The U.S. Davis Cup staff awaits its draw for the 2025 Qualifying spherical, held the week of January 27, 2025. The Qualifying spherical will characteristic a standard home-and-away tie with the winner advancing to a brand new home-and-away spherical in September.
Davis Cup Quarterfinals—Australia 2, USA 1
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) d. Ben Shelton (USA), 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(14)
Taylor Fritz (USA) d. Alex de Minaur (AUS), 6-3, 6-4
Matthew Ebden / Jordan Thompson (AUS) d. Tommy Paul / Ben Shelton (USA), 6-4, 6-4
