tierra batida

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.

"There is always pressure at Roland Garros. It is the tournament on clay where I play better, especially at the beginning of two weeks. But over the years, I take my experience," says

The world tennis number one, the Spanish Rafael Nadal, is not believed invincible on clay, the surface fetish in which start next week to defend his title at Roland Garros.

"I'm not invincible on clay and especially do not want people to think I feel invincible, "said the Spaniard in an interview published today by 'Le Figaro', the day after the Serbian Novak Djokovic will win in the final of the Rome Masters 1000 with a double 6-4.

The Spanish said they did not consider having to win it all but says that almost does not affect what people think about it, but only the pressure imposed himself and his motivation to win. "There is always pressure at Roland Garros. This explains why not necessarily the tournament on clay where I play better, especially at the beginning of two weeks. I'm nervous to go and play super nervous before my first match. But over the years, I take my experience, "he says.

However, Spanish is clearly explained that every time you play a game you can lose because it "is easier to address the competition if accepted."

Nadal acknowledged in the interview that relations with Djokovic are not same as with the Swiss Roger Federer, who said he shared "a hundred percent maximum wavelength." However, the number one says that it is well understood both as `Nole Federer '-nickname-Djokovic or Andy Murray.

"The important thing is that players maintain the spirit of that tennis is just a game, there is no tension between us so that we are an example for children", he adds.

The difference of 1,805 points is

Novak Djokovic began its participation in the Tournament of Rome to assault the number one in the ATP ranking of Spanish Rafael Nadal, whom he defeated on Sunday in the Madrid final.

After winning all six tournaments he has played in 2011, the Balkan has the opportunity, for the first time, settling in the lead and snatch the left-handed Spaniard, who was interrupted his streak on clay.

If Djokovic wins seventh consecutive tournament and Nadal, the defending champion in Rome, falls before the semifinals, Djokovic will be number one in the world.

However, it could get then at Roland Garros. In fact, Nadal, after losing to Djokovic in Madrid, said the number one was "buttoned up."

Today, the difference of 1,805 points is a list that loses a job Nicolas Almagro and Albert Montanes tenth and suffers a steep drop, lost twelve positions and drops to 38.

Manolo Santana, Carlos Moya and Nicolas Almagro were present at the draw • The men's final table will commence this Sunday · Nadal defends title

The spectacular start to the season of Novak Djokovic may be held or not, by the arrival of clay, Rafael Nadal is a territory where a virtuoso. The Spaniard, world number 1, you must defend from next Sunday Mutua Madrid Open title won last year against the Serbian and other minor players like Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Robin Soderling or David Ferrer.

Rafa Nadal is not just the current title holder, but the man to beat by any of its rivals. The number 1 in the world, debuting in this latest edition to the winner of the match between Marcos Baghdatis and a player of the preparatory phase, accumulates only 16 defeats on clay in his career, being the best player in history this area where accumulated 31 titles, only nine of the 40 Thomas Muster won and fifteen of the 46 who signed Guillermo Vilas as the best record in this section. Nadal comes from intractable shown in the two major tournaments before Madrid, Monte Carlo and Barcelona, ​​where fold in both finals to David Ferrer, No. 2 of the 2011 'Race', which begins its journey in the capital by measuring the winner of the clash between Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela and qualifier 'tennis player. " On this occasion wanted to draw the two would not be until a final hypothetical.

The other name that resounds in the picture is that of Novak Djokovic. Serbian, settled for second place in the world rankings, has accumulated 26 wins in a row, including Davis Cup titles, Open de Australia, Dubai, Indian Wells and Miami is currently ranked for the semi-finals in Belgrade, ATP 250 of its property. In Madrid is facing one of the outstanding issues, the clay, where the surface has only won 4 of the 22 titles you have in your cabinets (Amersfoort 2006, Estoril 2007, Rome 2008, Belgrade 2009). 'Nole' debut against the winner of the clash that pits the South African Kevin Anderson and Latvian Ernests Gulbis in the hope of extending a winning streak that now sees no end.

Third-seeded Roger Federer is a priori. Federer, after a 'discrete' start to the season (title in Doha, Dubai final, semi final Australia's Open, Indian Wells and Miami and the quarterfinals in Monte Carlo), arrives in Madrid, a tournament he has won twice on two different surfaces and 2009 -2006 on hard ground. Amen of Basel, we must be attentive to players like Andy Murray, who after missing the Barcelona Open in Madrid has a first contact with clay that has been allergic to date; Juan Martin del Potro, in his return to clay is an excellent signing tournament in Estoril, Robin Soderling, who has gone more or less in the first third of the season, or Milos Raonic, a revelation this season and start reaching the capital of the labor coach, Spanish Galo Blanco.

As for the rest of the `Navy 'include the presence of Nicolas Almagro, Madrid debut in his capacity as` Top Ten', Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez, who exercised local heroes, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Albert Montanes Tommy Robredo, Pablo Andujar and Marcel Granollers.