Tennis - Davis Cup - It's now or never

A few hours to take part in his third final in Davis Cup, Argentina has all the cards in the hands to lift his first Salad money. Not only does it face from Friday amputated a Spain Rafael Nadal, but the team led by David Nalbandian (Photo L'Equipe, with its captain Alberto Mancini) and Juan Martin Del Potro is intrinsically better classified. It will also play at home in Mar del Plata. Considerable advantages.

The more superstitious can rely on this statistic: Spain has already twice won the Davis Cup. First in 2000 and again in 2004. A few months after the gold medal stalled by Rafael Nadal in the Beijing Olympics, they could say that the Olympic years relate to lucky Iberian players. The less sensitive to such signs tell them that Spain is moving in Argentina considerably weakened by the absence of Rafael Nadal (knee), Olympic year or not. In the absence of No. 1 worldwide, David Ferrer (No. 12 in ATP) will be a leading light in relation to its end of season well starving. And his first opposition to David Nalbandian (No. 11) Friday (16h00) will set the tone.

Accustomed to the test (20 matches since 2002) and in shape at the end of the year (winner in Stockholm final in Basel and Paris), "El Rubio" party favorite. The other South American leader will be Juan Martin Del Potro (9th), opposed Feliciano Lopez (No. 31), preferred to Fernando Verdasco. "It was a difficult choice, but Feliciano has shown more things in training," explained the captain Emilio Sanchez. On the great Argentinian 1, 98 m, its health concerns toenails are in parentheses. "I feel that I will gently better" reassured player 20 years, being eliminated hens Masters in Shanghai. "And I am now slowly getting used to short." Contrary to usual, it is on carpet and room than men to Alberto Mancini receive their Latin cousins, not on clay. First of fear (cleared) to wipe the lifts of Rafael Nadal, but also to talk about the qualities of players' multi-area of Nalbandian and Del Potro.

In addition, training supplemented by Argentine Agustin Calleri and Jose Acasuso will build on the 11 000 supporters in the precincts of the Islas Malvinas Stadium. For lovers of statistics, even superstitious, 62 of the 95 finals contested since 1900 were won at home. In case of victory, the party would be best for Argentina, which hosts its first final of the event. First, she would forget his last two defeats in the final against the USA (in 1981) and Russia (2006). Then it deletes its two previous setbacks against Spain (1926 and 2003). Finally, she would sit at the top of the ranking of nations Davis Cup, where Spain does appear that the 2nd if successful.