IT has seemed a world away since Spain lifted the 2019 Davis Cup. While the 2020 edition was ultimately cancelled and had to be postponed until 2021, it gives tennis fans extra time to work out what teams might look like when it recommences.
Draft Central will take a look at various nations over the break and see what the team might look like. Today’s team is Belgium, ranked fourth in the world and has maintained the spot despite a number of nations rising up the rankings. They will have a fair way to catch the top three nations, and with only one Top 150 player, they are lucky to be holding onto the spot.
TEAM:
#15 David Goffin
#177 Kimmer Coppejans
#36D Joran Vliegen
#40D Sander Gille
Unfortunately for Belgium fans, they are on the back-end of an era that saw them have four or more Top 100 players, with just 30-year-old David Goffin left. Given the retirement of 36-year-old Steve Darcis, as well as the Rochus brothers – Olivier and Christopher – firmly in the rearview mirror, the European nation will struggle to keep up its high ranking, particularly against the countries that have Top 10 players.
In saying that, if Goffin is able to win his singles matches, they are always a shot, especially considering the doubles pairing of Jordan Vliegen and Sander Gille, who are both ranked inside the Top 40 on the doubles circuit. The issue will be finding the second singles player, of whom for many years Darcis would have been the choice, but now it falls to 177th ranked Kimmer Coppejans as the next highest ranked player behind Goffin.
As Belgium found out, they struggled without Goffin, losing to Hungary last year in their Davis Cup clash, so the Top 15 Goffin’s availability is crucial. Both Coppejans and Ruben Bemelmans are also doubles options if captain Johan Van Herck chooses to go that way – though both played in the loss to Hungary with 0-2 and 1-1 records respectively.
Due to that loss to Hungary, Belgium now have to face Bolivia to remain in the World Group which to be honest should be an easy win for the fourth ranked nation. Hugo Dellien carries the Bolivian nation, but if Goffin plays, then Belgium gets up. The depth with Belgium is always going to be the issue, but hopefully they can step up and secure their place in the World Group.
Picture: Ph. Buissin / IMAGELLAN
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