01-Dec-2011
The News
Thursday, December 01, 2011
MADRID: The last time Argentina met Spain in the Davis Cup, in the 2008 final in Mar del Plata, the South Americans were firm favourites to claim their first title but their challenge was wrecked by infighting within the team.
The Spanish, without talisman Rafa Nadal, pulled off a dramatic victory on the indoor hard court for a third triumph in nine years, Fernando Verdasco battling from two sets to one down to beat Jose Acasuso and secure an unassailable 3-1 lead.
With clay king Nadal leading the charge and the 2011 final to be played on the red dust indoors in Seville, the boot is very much on the other foot and anything other than a Spanish victory — giving them a third title in four years and fifth overall — would be a major surprise.
Argentina, who have Juan Monaco, Juan Ignacio Chela and Eduardo Schwank alongside Juan Martin Del Potro and David Nalbandian in the squad for the December 2-4 tie, say the personality clashes that ruined their 2008 bid are firmly behind them.
“That’s in the past, completely in the past,” Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, told a news conference on Tuesday. “After that (2008) final, we grew up, I’ve improved my game a lot and now we have another chance.”
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