There has been plenty said about Bob Bryan’s team selection for the USA’s Davis Cup quarter-final against Australia.
The American team’s Davis Cup finals campaign came to an end at the first hurdle following a 1-2 defeat to Australia.
Bryan, America’s team captain, chose not to play his specialised doubles pairing of Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek in the deciding match against Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell of Italy.
Their replacements Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul were unable to get their team over the line and the debate began with many questioning Bryan’s decision.
Andrea Petkovic defends Bob Bryan’s controversial Davis Cup decision
Fans took to social media platform X to voice their frustration with Bryan and America’s Davis Cup defeat.
Some were not only upset with Ram and Krajicek not being picked, but Shelton, who was making his Davis Cup debut, being selected over the higher-ranked Paul to face Thanasi Kokkinakis, who defeated Shelton.
But Andrea Petkovic, who appeared on the Rennae Stubbs podcast, took an opposing view and defended Bryan’s decision to leave out his specialised dolphins team and have Shelton play twice.
“I saw the controversy and I see the point but I will, and this might be surprising, but I will defend Bob Bryan in this case,” Petkovic said.
“The reason I have for it is because of Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini. Basically Italy did exactly the same thing on the same day and it worked out.
“Berrettini and Sinner had never played doubles in their life together or played doubles at all and they beat a good doubles pair, so it worked out.
“So I understand Bob Bryan’s decision because I don’t think Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek would have beaten the Australian pairing either.
“I think you have a bigger chance if Shelton closes his eyes and has a really good serving day to get in the tie break and hope one of the Aussies chokes. I think that’s a bigger chance than having Ram. “
What did Bob Bryan say about his USA Davis Cup team selection?
Bryan said he made his decision because he wanted to “surprise” the Australian doubles spring of Ebden and Thompson.
That did not work as the Americans suffered a 6-4 6-4 defeat and their 2024 Davis Cup campaign came to an end.
While Petkovic understood Byan’s thinking behind his team selection, she felt as though the USA Davis Cup captain could have framed his explanation in a better way.
“I understood his reasoning behind it but I don’t think he explained it well,” he said. “I don’t think he wanted to explain after having lost but I could understand where he was coming from.
“I thought the pilling on was a little unfair, even though I understand where it was coming from, because you have to back your doubles players as the next time they are on court they will feel horrible.”
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