copa davis

The Spaniard was a feast of tennis and feelings to give the `Armada´ first point of the final

Rafael Nadal was asked to give Spain the first point of the Davis Cup final in Spain measuring 2011 and Argentina in the Olympic Stadium of La Cartuja in Seville to break in three sets to Juan Monaco. The `Armada´ Thus there is a step forward in the goal of winning its fifth bowl.

Rafa Nadal was unable to attend the final in Mar del Plata in 2008 because of some pains in his knee after a season full of games. Despite the time difference and be on time off and recovery, not off mobile TV and encourage their peers from across the pond. Three years later, Spain and Argentina came back to get in the way of this competition, who lives in this year its 99th final and had the Balearic Islands as the protagonist of the first game to break Juan Monaco by an aggregate score of 6-1, 6 -1 and 6-2 after two hours and twenty-six minutes in a match played at the Olympic Stadium of La Cartuja.

Since losing in the Davis Cup debut against Jiri Novak on February 6, 2004, Nadal has accumulated 19 consecutive victories, the last ten without dropping a set. Despite the rain that morning and Sevilla drew leaks to the length and breadth of the Olympic Stadium of La Cartuja, the party began in scheduled time and intermittent sun. Who did not hesitate for a moment was Rafa, that despite wasting three break balls in the opening game was safe and plugged in, putting a level of intensity to match the Argentine endured only three games. After reaching the first break Nadal, drew the best version of tennis. With spark, with confidence, with a right that is unparalleled on clay. Signed seven straight games and cheered by an audience given to the cause, the first leg buckled Rafa in the fast lane.

Silences the Argentine public spirited

The Spaniard was greatly encouraged when playing for their country and only then can justify the change in attitudes and feelings in his match against Monaco. Transciones great defense, attack, deep strokes to prevent your opponent get into track, telescopic sights adjusted to the lines of both right and even reverse it unusual rises to the network. New break in the fourth game of partial charge in the saddle of a Nadal who rode to victory with authority. The superiority was such that even froze the spirits of the 3,000 `cancheros´ albiceleste T-shirt in the stands.

While Tito Vazquez celebrated every point / game of his pupil like a victory, Albert Costa kept his cool in the chair, applauding the good work of Rafa. Monaco raised the level of his opposition in the third act, but eventually bowed the knee (literally) in the fifth game, after conceding two points on a beautiful bill Nadal proved to be the `king of clay´. It was the last straw for a party that ended up being a show.

The arms in the air of Nadal after signing the last point and take the applause of the respectable result not only in the first point of the end for the `Armada´ but a great deal of morale for the Spaniard. Had long been suffering, and today I enjoy playing ... After this success, David Ferrer will go to the finishing touch to the first day. The Javea, number 5 in the world, is measured Juan Martin del Potro. La Cartuja wait ... no desire to party

Good atmosphere in the draw held on Thursday at the Teatro Lope de Vega

It is a very individual sport like tennis, compete for your country as a team becomes an event. Maybe that´s what´s so special about Davis Cup more than 100 years of history. In this latest edition, and with the clay of the Olympic Stadium of La Cartuja as a stage play, Spain and Argentina seek to register their name in the list of winners of the Davis.

Since Rafael Nadal on clay jump Sant Jordi in Barcelona in December 2000 as standard-bearer carrying the Spanish flag in the first final of the `Armada´ local territory (previously lost to Australia in 1965 and 1967), the Spaniard knew that his life would be linked to this tennis tournament. It debuted in 2004 at Brno in the Czech Republic, with the Spanish hero to get to the fifth item Radek Stepanek facing our passage to the quarterfinals. That same year, the Olympic Stadium of La Cartuja as a witness, Rafa became the youngest player to win the Davis Cup with just 18 years and 187 days. His feeling with competition have led him to sign a background of 20 wins and 5 losses (18-1 in singles), being largely absent from the end of Mar del Plata in 2008 against Argentina and starred the following year in Barcelona at the Czech Republic. Nadal is the great leader of the team led by Albert Costa. "It is true that my record in the last seven years on earth is very good and hopefully I can go on, but the Davis Cup competition is a special, different, less time to prepare and everything is more dangerous. There is a desire to win the importance of the tournament and finish the season with positive feelings. But it will not be easy, "says the Spaniard.

Nadal´s first opponent in Seville will be his friend Juan Monaco, with whom he shared apartment holidays and PlayStation games in each tournament. Although the Argentine captain, Modesto `Tito´ Vazquez, has attempted to play the dismissal until the last minute like a game of chess is involved, the entry of `peak´ for the first day was a secret. The objective is to punish as possible to the No. 1 Spanish and David Nalbandian saved for the last two days. "The earth is a very hard surface and prefer not to put a player three straight days," said coach albiceleste. Nadal and Monaco have met on three occasions to date, with a background of 2-1 in favor of the Spaniard, who had to withdraw at their last meeting in Cincinnati 2007. "I feel good, with confidence, energy and adapted to clay," warns Monaco.

The importance of sentence or to hope

Albicelestes options go through scratching a spot on the first day of competition and the headlights are on Juan Martin del Potro, who return to their Argentine number 1 three years after the `Marplatazo´ to Spain. "It´s part of the past. We grew a lot as a result of that end, I improved a lot as a player and now have a second chance. We are calm and try to fight very hard," says the Tower of Tandil, which has signed an exceptional season in which has moved from the position 485 of the ranking to rise to the eleventh step. Even end the year in `Top-Ten´ world just win a game in the final.

His first opportunity to have it to David Ferrer. The Javea, that as soon takes gallons of leader in the absence Nadal puts on overalls and yields in the shade, is the third player with the most wins on clay this season (behind only Nicolas Almagro and Rafa himself) . "I get physically tired, but the final is going to give up. It is last year´s effort," said Ferru. David and Del Potro have been measured on four occasions to date, sharing two wins each player. Interestingly, Sevilla will mark the first precedent between the two on clay.

Nadal-Monaco, to open mouth

Predictably, the draw was held Thursday at the Teatro Lope de Vega in Seville and has been the model Eva Gonzalez as master of ceremonies, finished to resolve the uncertainties regarding the Argentine box. While Costa has confirmed that, unless unforeseen last minute Nadal and Ferrer used for individual duels and Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco for doubles, Vazquez confirmed that Eduardo Schwank enters the group to the detriment of Juan Ignacio Chela, while Monaco bet on the first day to reserve a Nalbandian who claims to be "with the dream of his life." The first game (Friday, 14.00 hours, TVE) is the Nadal-Monaco match followed by Ferrer-Del Potro.

"Spain is the strongest team in history on clay," said Del Potro. It is wrong. Since losing in Lleida to the Brazilian `Guga´ Kuerten in the first round of 1999, Spain accumulates 22 consecutive knockout win on this surface, 20 of them acting as local. In this case will again be the Olympic Stadium of La Cartuja, which is prepared to accommodate 27,700 spectators, a record in the history of the sport. Argentina gets hungry for the first time raise the Davis, Spain forward to adding his fifth `punch´ of silver. Wait a weekend of passion ... and tennis.

"I made three Grand Slam finals, ten finishes in other tournaments, and I´m in the final of the Davis. The year has been very good. I well accepted that a player has done better."

The Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal said on Wednesday that "it will be very difficult," that next season "can compete" in the Davis Cup final which takes place this year from next Friday, and go to "look forward" and "happy" with training in Seville from this week.

"Next year will be very complicated to compete in the Davis Cup, but hey, we´ll end it is more important and then we`ll talk about next year," Nadal said in remarks at the first touch `program´ of Onda Cero.

Regarding the final against Argentina, the Spaniard was keen to start the round. "I hope to experience the atmosphere that took place in Cordoba in the semifinals, hopefully this is repeated or exceeded. I hope the public will encourage us and help us. From Argentina come two thousand and something, and are noisy," he said.

"The fact that he plays for a team is a different feeling, and personally I love it. It´s a shame that the schedule is so tight, the competition of the Davis nothing has changed for so many years because it is a competitions they bring to yourself, "he added.

In relation to his season, Nadal again denied that he was a bad year. "The worst is that there have been times that I`ve missed a ball stand. Continue to fight a ball, especially against Djokovic. And what happens is that I´m human. This has been negative. Do you positive? Is that all losses, without exception, have accepted it perfectly, "he said.

"The year has been good, what happens is that when you do a year like I did last year, it is clear that next year may not be repeated. And this year I made three Grand Slam finals, I have gained one, I made ten finishes in other tournaments, and am in the Davis Cup final. The year is still very good. Does one has been better than me? Yes, there will have to accept it and work, "he said.

On the other hand, and their statements that claimed to have lost enthusiasm for racing, the Manacor would qualify. "What I meant is that from the China Shanghai I found a bit lacking in enthusiasm for racing. But of course. He had a thousand games without stopping, playing very good games, accepting defeat and turning difficult to raise," he said.

"I looked good, but also mentally fatigued. Surely my head ended the year at that time. So I said I had missed a bit of passion to compete in those games. But I am sure I will not here" , Sticking.

Yannick NOAH RESPONDS NADAL

Finally, Nadal spoke the words of Yannick Noah, who stated that Spanish athletes were based on "magic potions" to get good results. "Coming from one who is also much less affected," he said.

"The bottom one looks after advertising and excuses. And one thing I assure you, when Noah was playing was probably no anti-doping controls and controls us spend week after week," concluded Nadal, who believes that the French media "are very obsessed with this issue. "

SUFFER A tear in the intercostal muscle that will have for four weeks

Novak Djokovic had to retire in the fourth match of the Davis Cup tie in which Argentina was facing Serbia in Belgrade. The pain of delivering the final ticket for the South Americans did not hurt so much the number 1 in the world as their physical ailments. After some initial explorations have been diagnosed with a tear in the Balkan intercostal muscle could have you removed from the tracks at least four weeks, so it would be safe for low ATP 500 in Beijing and doubt, pending changes for the 1000 Shanghai Masters.

Novak Djokovic has been an incredible year, winning ten titles (including three Grand Slam) and signing a background of 66 wins and only three defeats (Roland Garros, Davis Cup and Cincinnati). The last two defeats were in the paths of Serbian withdrawals, against Andy Murray on U.S. soil (3-6, 0-3) and against Juan Martin del Potro in Belgrade (6-7, 0-3). 'Nole' on the horizon has a record of 82-3, signed by John McEnroe in 1984 as best resgitro in a season. It complicates the Balkan reach this mark after the news that has dawned on Monday, the diagnosis of an injury that requires four weeks of rest.

Djokovic was due to start Asian tour in Beijing, which starts on October 3 and is doubtful for Masters 1,000 of Shanghai, next week. Apart from expanding its roster of victories may leak Novak 860 points ahead of the ATP rankings (500 for victory in Japan and 360 of the semifinals in China), where he still has a margin of 4,100 points over Rafael Nadal to defend number 1, since it has practically guaranteed to Ecuador for next season.