Davis Cup II E/A Rnd 2 - GB v Luxembourg Rubber #5: Ward/Vermeer

Leon Smith had asked the crowd to get behind Ward and stay to cheer him on. If the final rubber in a tie is a dead one, they shorten it to a best of 3, which was a relief to me and another am.com friend as we had flights within minutes of each other, and we’d agreed to get a cab back to the airport.

This did not start well, as the Milky Bar kid (yes, Stirling were doing their bit again with “We stole your Milky bars” holding up Milky Bar wrappers!) broke Ward in the opening game! But this time Ward broke straight back and held his next serve, to put things back on serve. By now I’d legged it across (well half way through Andy’s match, actually) over to where am.com were as there was an empty seat.




Ward seemed much more in control with a couple of breaks and taking the first set.

That’s not to say that Vermeer wasn’t a little dashing ball of energy – a bit too much legs, arms and paws at the minute, but some very nifty gets, returns and mid air spins… once his limbs catch up with him, he’ll be quite a dynamic little player.

In fact his sheer determination to run everything down actually started to win over the Stirling University mob, with a couple of chants just for him (instead of at him) including offering to take him for his first pint!



Alas for him, Ward maintained his control in the second set breaking early and finishing with a break to take it 6-3.



GB won the tie 4-1 and earned a home tie with Hungary in September.

Thus endeth almost a month of tennis – a well earned break now until the US Open!