Team Spain enters their Davis Cup matchup pretty banged up. Rafael Nadal, Fernando Verdasco and lastly Juan Carlos Ferrero all pulled out with injuries. Spain debuted today in Longrona, Spain against Switzerland with its C team – David Ferrer, Nicolas Almagro, Tommy Robredo and Marcel Granollers.
Almagro is recovering from a wrist injury, and Robredo is not having the best year. Granollers has had success on the doubles side over the last two years and has even won a title with Robredo. Ferrer is their only rock. If the Spanish were going to be picked off, it would be this weekend.
Almagro opened well against Stanislas Wawrinka and put away the first set. The 24-year-old Swiss was able to get back into the match by taking the second set. The two players battled it out until the final set. The world no. 40 went up a break, and it looked like he would be able to put Wawrinka away. He instead allowed the Swiss back in to the match, and world no. 20 was somehow able to win the match 6-3 4-6 6-3 5-7 6-3 in just under four hours of play to put Switzerland up 1-0.
Ferrer then came out in the next rubber and put in a solid performance against Marco Chiudinelli. Though he disappeared in the second set, the Spaniard was able to sneak off with the set and slam the door in the third set. He beat Chiudinelli 6-2 7-6(5) 6-1 in under 2 ½ hours of play to level the Davis Cup tie 1-1.
Granollers and Robredo will play Yves Allegro and Wawrinka tomorrow and have a good shot at winning. Ferrer has solid odds against Wawrinka with a 4-2 record for the fourth rubber. The Spaniard also leads their meetings on clay 3-1.
If Spain loses in doubles, it has a much tougher field to hoe. Almagro should be able to beat Chiudinelli, but his wrist issues could complicate matters. It would not be surprising if Coach Alberto Costa substitutes Robredo to play the final rubber, though current world no. 23 is not having a great year with a 3-5 singles record.
Spain vs. Switzerland
Friday’s Results
R1 – Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) def. Nicolas Almagro (ESP) 3-6 6-4 3-6 7-5 6-3
R2 – David Ferrer (ESP) def. Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) 6-2 7-6(5) 6-1
Saturday’s Match
R3 – M. Granollers (ESP)/T. Robredo (ESP) vs. Y. Allegro (ESP)/S. Wawrinka (SUI)
(Images: AP)
Spain swept the Czech Republic 5-0 to cap off the weekend. Despite clinching the title, Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer still played in their respective dead rubbers to in Barcelona.
Sunday’s Results
R5: David Ferrer (ESP) def. Lukas Dlouhy (CZE) 6-4 6-2
R4: Rafael Nadal (ESP) def. Jan Hajek (CZE) 6-3 6-4
Saturday’s Results
R3: F.Lopez/F. Verdasco (ESP) def. T. Berdych/R. Stepanek (CZE) 7-6(7) 7-5 6-2
Friday’s Results
R2: David Ferrer (ESP) def. Radek Stepanek (CZE) 1-6 2-6 6-4 6-4 8-6
R1: Rafael Nadal (ESP) def. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 7-5 6-0 6-2
(Image: Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images)
Spanish Davis Cup captain Alberto Costa has his work cut out for him. He has too many possibilities and not enough spots. The Spanish captain has the luxury to choose from Rafael Nadal, Fernando Verdasco, David Ferrer, Tommy Robredo, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Feliciano Lopez for five spots. With the exception of Lopez, all of six of his choices are in the top 21. I am sure the other captains could only wish for such a problem. In the semifinals, he had an easier time choosing because Fernando Verdasco and Rafael Nadal were injured, and he could just activate Juan Carlos Ferrero. Ferrero has been solid and now is 2-0 in Davis Cup action.
The Spaniards will meet the Czech Republic in the finals. To my chagrine, this team has taken out some of my teams this year. Unlike the Spaniards, the team does not have a deep bench and really consists of Radek Stepanek and Tomas Berdych. To get to three wins, they each play singles and doubles.
This one-two punch has sent the French, the Argentines and the Croats packing on their road to the finals. The Czech duo are 6-2 in singles and 3-0 in doubles in Davis Cup this year. They also can both play on clay. Berdych is no slouch and has won three titles on clay. In the semifinals, the Czechs had no trouble dismissing the Croats 4-1 on clay.
Most people think final match up will be a foregone conclusion for Spain, but I do not think it is going to be that easy for the Spanish with or without Rafael Nadal. If Nadal does not play, I do not think Spain will win.
Today, we had a preview of a possible Davis Cup singles match up. Radek Stapanek and Juan Carlos Ferrero went at it today in Shanghai. Stepanek made an easy work of Ferrero. He beat the Spaniard, who has played well of late, 6-3 6-0 in under an hour of play. This result looks like it could be a foreshadowing of things to come. I think I am need to sign off and take some Tums now.
(Images: Eugene Hoshiko/AP)
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