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Canada's 2016 Davis Cup quest begins in France
If this year's Davis Cup was the one that got away for the Canadians, as they watch the less-accomplished Belgians (who defeated them in July without having to face the injured Milos Raonic or Vasek Pospisil) prepare to meet Great Britain in the big final, 2016 will be a year to right the ship again.
It began in Santiago, Chile Wednesday evening with the World Group draw.
There were eight possible opponents for the unseeded Canadian team for the World Group first round, which will take place March 4-6, 2016.
Three were guaranteed to be home ties (Belgium, Argentina and Serbia). One was guaranteed to be on the road (France). The others – Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Australia – would have the home-court advantage drawn by lot.
The Canadians got probably the worst possible outcome. They drew France – the only tie they had no chance to host, and a rich tennis nation with a Grand-Slam winning doubles team that leaves them having to play a perfect tie on the road to advance.
Here's the obligatory press-release quote from captain Martin Laurendeau:
“France is definitely a very tough team with a lot of depth, but when we’re healthy we feel that we can compete with any country in the world. We are looking forward to next year and doing everything we can to go on a run. Playing away will be a challenge, but we know what it takes to win on foreign soil and we will have to find a way to do that again.”
Here's how the draw shook out:
Because of what the Davis Cup calls a "special situation", Canada and Japan were the first two nations to be drawn. Because they met in the first round each of the last two years, the two countries could not be drawn into the same half of the draw for 2016.
Japan got the top half (and drew Great Britain away). Canada got the bottom half, and got France away.
The Canadian team will end up right in the middle of some major drama with the French Davis Cup squad.
Captain Arnaud Clément was ousted last week, seemingly by the force of will of veteran players Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gaël Monfils, and Yannick Noah has already replaced him.
The French players are speaking out on one side or the other, and the internal discussions within the French Tennis Federation must be legendary in their taking of sides. Everyone knows that while France is fully capable of winning the Davis Cup with its talent and depth, everyone also knows that the top players are all pushing 30; there isn't unlimited time left to do the job with the next generation of French players not nearly as talented.
Wherever in France the tie is hosted, the Canadians will be jumping right into a hornet's nest of drama.
The other ties in the World Group will be as follows: Japan at Great Britain, Kazakhstan at Serbia, Switzerland at Italy, Argentina at Poland, Czech Republic at Germany, USA at Australia and Croatia at Belgium.
