David Nalbandian, now back to being the top-ranked Argentine tennis player, said some time ago that his country will probably win the Davis Cup when we least expect it ... and it could well be so this year! Nalbandian is the player who has done most to get Argentina to today's semifinal in Lyon, France, and if they go any further, he is expected to be the one to get them there.
September 2010
16th - 19th Davis Cup World Group play-off: Israel v Austria , Nokia Stadium, Tel Aviv, Israel.
17th - 19th Davis Cup World Group Semi-final: France v Argentina, Lyon , France .
17th - 19th Davis Cup World Group Semi-final: Serbia v Czech Republic, Belgrade, Serbia.
29th - 5th December Davis Cup Final, TBC.
Two years ago, Argentina played all their matches at home and lost the final against Spain which was blamed by many on the bickering that went on between the players and between officials before and during the final in Mar del Plata, although I still maintain that on-court injuries were also a factor. This year it is the other way around as Argentina have been drawn away in the first three rounds and were never looked upon as favourites. It is a well-known fact that home advantage is important in Davis Cup play, not only because of change of environment and crowd support, but also because the home team picks the playing surface likely to favour them most and favour the visiting team least.
Nalbandian was coming off injury when Argentina were due to play Sweden away in the first round, but at the last moment, when the Argentine team had already left for Sweden, he decided to join them and gained the points which won the tie. He did it again in the quarterfinals in Russia when he played on all three days and won all three matches for the 3-2 victory in Moscow where the Russians had been unbeaten for a long time.
Today, France are without their top-ranked player, injured Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Argentina is also without injured Juan Martín del Potro who was their top-ranked player, but then he has been absent all year. It is the first time in years that Argentina has no players in the top 20 of the world ranking. Of the present team — completed by Juan Mónaco, Eduardo Schwank and Horacio Zeballos — only Nalbandian has a winning singles record since the Moscow quarterfinal.
But this weekend's tie may again hinge on the doubles match and Argentina never seem to have a doubles pair who play together regularly. Yet Schwank and Zeballos have been playing together competitively recently and only lost narrowly in the semifinals of the US Open this month. This will probably mean that Nalbandian will not play in the doubles as well and the Saturday rest, he agrees, will be an advantage. Another advantage is that the Argentine team is satisfied with the playing surface which is not as fast as expected.
The bonus is that if Argentina win, the final against either Serbia or the Czech Republic would be at home.
The Argentine Tennis Association (AAT) says that in the event, the venue has not yet been decided. Does that mean that it will again go to the highest bidder and create all the bickering — among players and officials — as in 2008? Hopefully not! As Nalbandian said, team work is as important as individual skill, although I sustain that outside the doubles, it is of lesser importance.
ROSARIO HOOLIGANS. Rosario has produced the world's best soccer player (Lionel Messi) and the world's best field hockey player (Luciana Aymar), although they may have forgotten some other famous people like Che Guevara. Several years ago I was directed to the house where he was born. There was no plaque, although one has been placed there since. But it seems their heroes also include soccer hooligans!
Newell's Old Boys and Rosario Central have been among the clubs which have most been infested with hooligans to the point of being virtually taken over by them at one stage. The latest club committees may love them less, but it still looked as if club officials, police and judges supported them. But to the media, club officials blame the police and the police blame judges when it looked all the time that all three bodies were in league together.
Now the traditional hooligan gang and a newer one which wants to take over "the business" (which includes drugs) are fighting at both clubs and there have already been two killings this year among the Newell's crowd. Further battles are announced between Newell's hooligans. As club officials and police appear to be taking no action, a judge has banned all hooligans — some 100 — from entering the stadium. The ban was for last night's South American Cup match against Estudiantes de La Plata, but should continue for Sunday. One wonders if this can be successfully arranged?
There were supposed to be 630 police at the stadium. Police protection is costing clubs a lot and club officials complain that they are not doing anything to stop hooliganism. Police say that officials are not helping by supplying names of hooligans and even supporting them with free tickets, fares to away matches and often cash. At least they cannot blame the courts this time. Newell's Old Boys officials say they cannot stop the hooligans from entering the club because they do not know them. They are joking, of course!
SERGIO BATISTA. Do not read too much into Argentina's 4-1 victory in the friendly match against soccer world champions Spain. It was a relaxed Spain which left out some of the cup winning side. But interim coach Sergio Batista did two things right which made all the difference. Firstly, he let Messi play nearer goal, as requested, in a 4-3-3 formation and told him never to fall back behind the half-way line. Secondly, he picked Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso which former coach Diego Maradona should not have left out.
Now voices from the Argentina FA (AFA) say that if Batista's team also win the next two friendlies this year, he will stay on as coach. That is the same idiotic approach always being used here. A coach should be picked for the aptitudes required — leadership, technique, tactics, relationship, etc. etc. and not only results, especially in friendlies — and Batista has already shown this as coach of the 2008 Olympic gold medallists.
16th - 19th Davis Cup World Group play-off: Israel v Austria , Nokia Stadium, Tel Aviv, Israel.
17th - 19th Davis Cup World Group Semi-final: France v Argentina, Lyon , France .
17th - 19th Davis Cup World Group Semi-final: Serbia v Czech Republic, Belgrade, Serbia.
29th - 5th December Davis Cup Final, TBC.
Two years ago, Argentina played all their matches at home and lost the final against Spain which was blamed by many on the bickering that went on between the players and between officials before and during the final in Mar del Plata, although I still maintain that on-court injuries were also a factor. This year it is the other way around as Argentina have been drawn away in the first three rounds and were never looked upon as favourites. It is a well-known fact that home advantage is important in Davis Cup play, not only because of change of environment and crowd support, but also because the home team picks the playing surface likely to favour them most and favour the visiting team least.
Today, France are without their top-ranked player, injured Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Argentina is also without injured Juan Martín del Potro who was their top-ranked player, but then he has been absent all year. It is the first time in years that Argentina has no players in the top 20 of the world ranking. Of the present team — completed by Juan Mónaco, Eduardo Schwank and Horacio Zeballos — only Nalbandian has a winning singles record since the Moscow quarterfinal.
The bonus is that if Argentina win, the final against either Serbia or the Czech Republic would be at home.
The Argentine Tennis Association (AAT) says that in the event, the venue has not yet been decided. Does that mean that it will again go to the highest bidder and create all the bickering — among players and officials — as in 2008? Hopefully not! As Nalbandian said, team work is as important as individual skill, although I sustain that outside the doubles, it is of lesser importance.
ROSARIO HOOLIGANS. Rosario has produced the world's best soccer player (Lionel Messi) and the world's best field hockey player (Luciana Aymar), although they may have forgotten some other famous people like Che Guevara. Several years ago I was directed to the house where he was born. There was no plaque, although one has been placed there since. But it seems their heroes also include soccer hooligans!
Newell's Old Boys and Rosario Central have been among the clubs which have most been infested with hooligans to the point of being virtually taken over by them at one stage. The latest club committees may love them less, but it still looked as if club officials, police and judges supported them. But to the media, club officials blame the police and the police blame judges when it looked all the time that all three bodies were in league together.
Now the traditional hooligan gang and a newer one which wants to take over "the business" (which includes drugs) are fighting at both clubs and there have already been two killings this year among the Newell's crowd. Further battles are announced between Newell's hooligans. As club officials and police appear to be taking no action, a judge has banned all hooligans — some 100 — from entering the stadium. The ban was for last night's South American Cup match against Estudiantes de La Plata, but should continue for Sunday. One wonders if this can be successfully arranged?
There were supposed to be 630 police at the stadium. Police protection is costing clubs a lot and club officials complain that they are not doing anything to stop hooliganism. Police say that officials are not helping by supplying names of hooligans and even supporting them with free tickets, fares to away matches and often cash. At least they cannot blame the courts this time. Newell's Old Boys officials say they cannot stop the hooligans from entering the club because they do not know them. They are joking, of course!
SERGIO BATISTA. Do not read too much into Argentina's 4-1 victory in the friendly match against soccer world champions Spain. It was a relaxed Spain which left out some of the cup winning side. But interim coach Sergio Batista did two things right which made all the difference. Firstly, he let Messi play nearer goal, as requested, in a 4-3-3 formation and told him never to fall back behind the half-way line. Secondly, he picked Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso which former coach Diego Maradona should not have left out.
Now voices from the Argentina FA (AFA) say that if Batista's team also win the next two friendlies this year, he will stay on as coach. That is the same idiotic approach always being used here. A coach should be picked for the aptitudes required — leadership, technique, tactics, relationship, etc. etc. and not only results, especially in friendlies — and Batista has already shown this as coach of the 2008 Olympic gold medallists.
