Belgium have overcome Switzerland, Canada and Argentina to reach their first Davis Cup final in 111 years.
Victories over the defending champions and two powerful tennis nations are impressive achievements, however the highest-calibre opponent encountered en route to a historic showdown with Great Britain was Leonardo Mayer – ranked thirty-nine in the world.
Belgian hero, Steve Darcis, who secured the vital third point in the semi-finals, conceded that his nation had been ‘lucky’ not to encounter Argentina’s long-term absentees, Juan Martin Del Potro and Juan Monaco, so does this diminish the achievements of David Goffin and friends?
Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Milos Raonic, Vasek Pospisil, Del Potro and Monaco could all have faced Belgium at various stages of the competition but injuries or an unwillingness to compete prevented them from partaking in the action.
If the above players, who have amassed twenty Grand Slam singles titles between them, had been available, it is not unreasonable to suggest that Ghent might not be preparing to host the tennis season’s grand finale this week.
The unbridled joy that greeted the winning Darcis overhead in the semi-final demonstrated that the vocal and partisan home crowd inside the Forest National Arena in Brussels was not overly fussed at how this small nation had reached an unlikely final – and who can blame them.
Goffin, ranked sixteen in the world and rising, is the star attraction in the Belgian ranks and he has made massive strides in the last eighteen months as he begins to unravel his undoubted potential. He is ably assisted by Darcis, the forgotten man of tennis, who has been besieged by injuries since his dramatic win over Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon in 2013.
An ever-present in the doubles team this year has been Ruben Bemelmans. He broke new ground when he reached the third round of the US Open earlier this month but the majority of his career has been spent grinding on the unforgiving Challenger Tour. Earlier this year, on a cold and typically dreich winter’s day in Scotland, I looked on as Bemelmans squandered a winning position against fellow countryman, Niels Desein, in the final of the Aegon GB Pro-Series Glasgow.
In front of a sparsely populated temporary stand, Bemelmans wilted when serving for the match and ultimately lost a contest he should have claimed. Fast-forward ten months and the same player will have the full glare of the international tennis world fixated on his every move as he takes to the court for what will likely be a pivotal doubles rubber against Great Britain.
In an era when all the prestigious titles are snaffled by the world’s elite, the rest have been left fighting for scraps and the occasional headline. This year’s Davis Cup has provided an opportunity and platform for some of the sport’s lesser names to emerge from the shadows and cement their place in history.
The much-maligned Davis Cup has once again highlighted the beauty and magic of knockout competitions as unlikely heroes become revered and remembered. A captivated audience in Brussels watched on anxiously as Darcis toiled against Federico Delbonis – a match-up that would normally create minimal interest at a regular main tour event.
For the neutral observer, it is fascinating to observe players more accustomed to less quaint and lavish surroundings coping with the pressure of representing their country on the biggest stage. Some thrive and play to a level well above their station while others feel the full burdensome weight of the shirt on their shoulders and are left mercilessly exposed.
Great Britain have arrived in Belgium as favourites to win the Davis Cup but if the three-day duel comes down to a fifth and deciding rubber between Darcis and Kyle Edmund it will be a fitting conclusion to what has been an unpredictable and fascinating 2015 competition.
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