Cash backing for dropped Goodall (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Cash backing for dropped Goodall

8:00am Sunday 7th March 2010 in

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FORMER Wimbledon champion Pat Cash admits he is at a loss to explain the reasons behind Josh Goodall’s omission from Britain’s Davis Cup team to face Lithuania this weekend.

The 24-year-old was overlooked for the trip to Vilnius in favour of James Ward, Dan Evans and Jamie Baker, along with doubles specialists Colin Fleming and Ken Skupski.

And Cash said: “I don’t understand Josh Goodall not being picked because he is far and away the best young player Britain has got.

“I think personally it is a mistake because he is the most talented of the lot, it is a really big mistake not to give him the experience.

“I’m sure he must be disappointed because it is a reserve squad really and he hasn’t made it.

“He has had played some very good games and I think he is more than capable of being in the Davis Cup squad.

“We want these guys to progress and they do that by experiencing Davis Cup tennis.

“I think he is a good player but he needs the experience to help him progress.”

Goodall made his Davis Cup debut as he led the team against the Ukraine last year, but lost his two singles matches.

The British number six was then not called upon for September’s 3-2 defeat to Poland and Cash believes Lloyd is in danger of wasting Goodall’s talent by overlooking him.

“I think you need to think about more than just a singles match, you need to think about who the best players are and how they can be progressed,” added Cash.

Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash is supporting the Barclays Ball Kids initiative, a national search to find 30 youngsters to be Ball Kids at the 2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in November.

For more info visit their website at: barclaysballkids.com