TENNIS DAVIS CUP – If anyone has any doubts as to whether the Davis Cup should continue or be scrapped, James Ward’s win today against John Isner in Glasgow is the ultimate proof of why this tournament is so special and unique. Bruno Bergareche Sans
If anyone has any doubts as to whether the Davis Cup should continue or be scrapped, James Ward’s win today against John Isner in Glasgow is the ultimate proof of why this tournament is so special and unique.
Rankings go out the window in the Davis Cup and the unexpected is to be expected. James Ward is one of those players who always rise to the occasion of defending their national flag, and oddly enough struggle to reproduce that form on the tour. Great Britain are hosting USA in Glasgow in a repeat of last year’s first round tie when the Brits pulled off a surprise on the clay of San Diego with Ward emerging as the hero after a superb five set win against Querrey.
Today Ward did it again. His victim this time was John Isner, ranked 91 places above him. Ward recovered from sets down to somehow win 6/7 5/7 6/3 7/6 15/13 and send the crowd into absolute pandemonium.
The match looked completely in control for Isner as he raced away to a two set lead with his archetypical solid game based on a huge first serve and big forehand. But Ward slowly switched the momentum of the rubber, spurred on by an animated crowd that always takes a shining to the underdog, forcing the encounter into a fifth set which he ultimately clinched 15-13, for what was undoubtedly the biggest win of his career.
“This is by far the best atmosphere I’ve ever been involved in and thank you very much to all the crowd. It was difficult. I had a lot of chances in the last set. It was an unbelievable match”, was all an emotional Ward could say after the win.
As for Isner, this will be a difficult defeat to turn a page on: “It’s brutal. I’m barely going to sleep tonight. It’s awful. I’m healthy, Mentally I’m certainly a bit shake right now but I’ve got to be a professional and bring my best on Sunday. I don’t feel too chipper right now but I’ll let it rip on Sunday if that match is live”.
Before the Ward-Isner titanic tussle, Murray had given his fellow Scots a lot to cheer about with a convincing performance against an in-form Donald Young. In his first match in his native Scotland for four years, Murray got the ball rolling for Team GB with a 6/1 6/1 4/6 6/2 win.
Dominic Inglot and Jamie Murray have the chance to put the tie to bed when they face the mighty Bryan brothers in tomorrow’s doubles.
