Lopez pulls off Del Potro upset - Davis Cup in Spain
The captain confided in him only after the final training session, but on Sunday he will emerge less sure. The only member of the team with experience in a Davis Cup final (Australia 2003) remained in Spain with his third win of options’ Salad Bowl ‘first away from home, after beating Juan Martin del Potro, by 4-6, 7 -6 (2), 7-6 (4) and 6-3 in three hours and 19 minutes. But above all, the Toledo optimism returned to their peers, raised the battered morale of the group after the overwhelming defeat of Ferrer before Nalbandian.
Served the last bit of reference between the two, last March in the second round of Miami, where Feliciano Lopez won in two quick sets to Del Potro. Eight months later, is another Argentine player, now consolidated as a future candidate to fight for the world’s number one. Feliciano remains Feliciano, but this time his legion of detractors keep silent. “I played the match of my life,” said exultant after the victory.
Well connected to the track, either by measuring the steps, the Spanish number two reached the fifth game of the meeting without making mistakes and just playing so aggressive with its service, attacking the net, preventing Del Potro at the center of the track. But Lopez, pure talent, elegance with the racquet, suffers from the regularity and intensity needed to pay to live up to their quality presupposes. It took a breather in the fifth game and handed out blank.
If you take away a service that Toledo is more complicated, Del Potro, when playing inspired, that would have cut his arm. The world number nine from the disputed first set with almost 80% of first serves and well-targeted direct signed seven points. Neither an option to ‘break’ granted. Strong enough to keep him from the bottom of the track and attack with his right hand and his flat two-handed reverse crossover. In 38 minutes, without getting on the network at any time, joined his country for the fourth consecutive September of the knockout.
But if something is meant Feliciano sets tight, tight markers that are resolved by small details, sometimes in the game tiebreaker. What we did not find the rest found him in the art of ‘tie break’. Although Del Potro maintained the level, the constant trickle of ‘aces’, his strength from the bottom of the track was a mess when the scoreboard took part in the final. A backhand volley of Spanish, followed by an error from the Argentine created an insurmountable advantage in the decisive game. 7-2. Final.
New party, although same coordinates and similar outcome. But different sensations. Del Potro accused the coup. Increased its statistical errors and, although continued without granting any point ‘break’, Feliciano either. More and more solid with his serve, the more daring on the Net where they could lose the match and drawing the boat under the ball to force his opponent to double its 198 centimeters, led the hose to a new ‘tie break’ . After a less favorable start, built a 4-2 against and with a ‘t’ that he signed the 7-4 ahead in the overall scoreboard.
The dreaded tier of the stadium Falkland Islands was not for both. And finally let Feliciano frost, with fear in the body. And Del Potro, who despite being behind Andy Murray, the best player in the second half of the course, despite adding four titles in a row and made a place for the Masters Cup after starring the biggest leap in the ranking of the year, remains a 20-year-old with a suitcase full of enthusiasm but empty of experience. Only his service he contended in a game completely different from before, between restadores, until a double fault and a setback were broken their resistance. First ‘break’ for the visitor.
The pull of Del Potro
Lopez also noted for its effectiveness never in the decisive moments. Will tangle with a double fault in the next game, and the third occasion, Del Potro broke back. And then, when Argentina believed again in the 2-0, raced to his player for a ball and was nailed. Raised his hand, stopped the match and Enfil, upset, the path of the chair. The massage did not the miracle. Del Potro barely moved. Blank gave the following two games and waited, resigned his sentence.
“His injury has helped me, but I think I contributed what I like,” said the winner. “I started a bit nervous but then I was very solid with the service.” The final without Nadal, the street that Argentina would win, will not be resolved until Sunday. Earlier, on Saturday (17.00), the point will double the command to one of the two teams. And Nalbandian, who’s only concerned about their physical endurance in a weekend so long, finally skipped to the track along with Calleri to measured Verdasco and Feliciano.
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A tremendous start for Nalbandian but a disappointing ending for Del Potro. That is how you can summarized the overall performance from Day 1.
David Nalbandian was just perfect on every aspect of his game and he could do no wrong. Ferrer did had his moments where I felt that he could pull something, but Nalbandian gave him no room for revival. This was the one of the best performance from Nalbandian that I’ve seen in a while.
I have to admit that I was expecting Del Potro to give us a 2-0 lead. But I can put the blame entirely on him as he was carrying a minor injury during the game. I’m sure he will look back with plenty determination to win on Sunday.
Now here comes the moment which I fear the most. Just like what happened, it will be the double event that might be crucial for Argentina on their Davis Cup quest. I hope Nalbandian/Calleri can pull something out of this but Spain will have plenty of confidence following Feliciano’s win. We’ll see how things goes.
In the meantime, please check out my re-cap on the matches from Day 1. Of course, your feedback is highly appreciated.
http://mundoalbiceleste.blogspot.com/2008/11/davis-cup-final-day-1-mixed-fortunes.html