The training of the Spanish Davis Cup team continues in Charleroi, waiting for the draw which will take place tomorrow at 12:30, the true starting point for the tie.
The training of the Spanish Davis Cup team continues in Charleroi, waiting for the draw which will take place tomorrow at 12:30, the true starting point for this tie against Belgium in the World Group Davis Cup.
Not just spectators in a cold and soulless, players from Albert Costa made today two new sessions of practice on the track "decotourf" installed in the indoor arena Spirodoume, home of basketball Spirou Charleroi Belgian who competes in the Euroleague.
The area, located on the outskirts of this city, the third largest in Belgium, with about 206,000 inhabitants, popularly known as "Carol", it seems highly recommended to be visited at night. There is hardly lighting and the dark side and lacking in publicity for the event is far from sites other than World Group has visited the Spanish side, who even has not even gone out to dinner or a night outside the hotel.
In the streets and in their own little flag there are references of confrontation Belgium, Spain, and the exhibition, dilapidated and deteriorated, with some broken glass at the entrances, denotes carelessness too obvious.
The second track of workouts, which usually located next to the principal in each heat, this time is located 30 kilometers away. Of course, the Spanish team has not used it. Nevertheless, the 6,300 seats are sold for the day Friday, and there are only about a hundred for Saturday and Sunday.
The Belgian has brought this round here for the alternating system that keeps the Walloon and Flemish regions. Thus, the final confrontation played Belgium in the Fed Cup against the United States was played in Antwerp. This time is playing in Charleroi, a city that, in response, will, 16 and 17 April, home to the semifinals against the Czech Republic in the women's competition.
The blue track installed on the flag does not seem as fast when compared with that of Clermont Ferrand last year (5-0 to France), and the balls to be used this weekend will be the same Australia Open.
Although the captain, Albert Costa, has not revealed who will play the singles, the training indicate that, except surprises, will be Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer, one and six in the world, respectively, in charge of taking the weight of the tie.
"They came and from the first moment he saw them head down, ie the most concentrated," said Angel Ruiz EFE today Cotorro Medical Spanish Tennis Federation.
"Nadal has fully recovered from his injury (muscle), which leaves no sequelae, and has worked very well physically, and resistance, which has barely lost anything, "he said," yes, the rhythm comes with games. "
As for Ferrer, who comes from winning the title in Acapulco and has been the latest to join the merger, said it is supplying inducers for the dream to remove the "jet-lag" as quickly as possible.
Regarding the Belgian team, is more than likely that individual responsibility is borne by two veterans of all, Xavier Malisse (51 in the world), about to turn 31, and a finalist this year in Madras, and Olvia Rochus (115), of 30, respectively.
They are better able to do so and may even play twice on Saturday, as they have won two titles together, Roland Garros (2004) and Adelaide (2005).
With regard to the Belgian side that lost Spain in the Olympic Tennis Sports Center in Seville in 2003, the latest clash between the two countries, Malisse and Rochus are the only ones that have stood the test of time and are still in the team.
In that tie, which ended in a 5-0 for the Spanish side, Juan Carlos Ferrero beat Rochus in three sets to Malisse Carlos Moya in the same way, on the first day.