(La Nacion)
With the tenth edition of the Copa Telmex now merely four days away, David has arrived in Buenos Aires and taken up the final stage of his preparation, training at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club (source: La Nacion). At the same time, the excitement as well as the expectations are on the rise. Virtually every article about the Copa Telmex in the Argentine press makes sure to mention who will be the star and main attraction of the tournament - David. Making his comeback after nine months away from the Tour at Argentina's "Cathedral of Tennis". In his home country, all eyes will be on him.
This year's anniversary edition of the Copa Telmex will see a modification of the tournament schedule, with the semis and the final now played in the evening (to avoid the heat). And for the first time, the semis and the final will be shown live at various cinemas across the country. Apart from that, there's a new addition to the tournament's schedule of events, David's exhibition match against David Ferrer on the beach at the Parque de los Niños on Saturday (6pm local). But what's perhaps more important - Saturday should also be the day the draw gets made. So far, I haven't been able to find out when exactly the ceremony will take place. But I'll do my best to figure it out and post the draw as soon as it's available.
Among the top seeds David could end up facing in his comeback match are David Ferrer (which I'd call the worst case scenario), Juan Carlos Ferrero, Nicolas Almagro and Juan Monaco.
Update (Friday 12/02)
We've already discussed it in the comments, last night the news came that due to continuing tendinitis problems with his right wrist, Delpo has pulled out of Marseille, Dubai - and the upcoming Davis Cup tie. Once more leaving it, or so it seems, to David to lead Argentina's team against Sweden. La Nacion have published a brief statement from David about Delpo's injury.
It's an injury that really handicaps you, it's very annoying. It's a pity that he won't be able to play Davis Cup. I hope he recovers and that he can return as soon as possible because this is a part of the season he could otherwise really make the most of.In a TV interview aired last night (which Anna has summarized in the comments for this post - thanks) David talked about the importance of all players on the team committing to the Davis Cup cause and about the special meaning it has for him.
- Not exactly news for anyobody with but a fleeting interest in David and his career.
And that makes it even more strange that last night this article appeared on DiarioShow.com. They claim "to be in the position to announce" that David "is also going to step back from this commitment" [i.e. the Davis Cup tie] although he hasn't made that decision public yet.
This is the latest interview with David (for Cronista.com) I've been able to find. In it, he talks not only about his impending comeback but also about the Davis Cup. And here, his attitude towards it seems completely unchanged...
Q: Any doubts concerning your fitness after what happened in Auckland?In other words, with David's comeback match now merely a couple of days away, there are conflicting reports about his Davis Cup participation (though I would probably need to hear it from David himself to believe that he'd deliberately skip a Davis Cup tie). And there is also still the mystery of the absence of David's name on the entry lists for Indian Wells and Miami. A clear statement from David would help. But right now, it looks like we might be in for more of the same - waiting...
David: No, because I know that I've recovered from that tear, as well as from hip surgery. Those are different things and I've had good treatment for both.
Q: Are you afraid of not being able to compete at the highest level? Or do you think that you will be able to do even better [than before]?
David: I'm not afraid because I'm sure that I'll play at my level again. I just need match practice, four or five tournaments to get my top form back and show that I can improve.
Q: Heat, clay... Is the Copa Telmex the right tournament for your return after the injury pause?
David: Sure, it wasn't my plan to come back here. I wanted to get here with more time to prepare. But the heat and the slow court are just the conditions, nothing more. What really matters is that I'll make an appropriate comeback in front of my home crowd.
Q: The surgery made you fall behind in the rankings. Does it trouble you to see yourself ranked #140 in the world?
David: I'm not worried about the ranking. I have a protected ranking and that allows me to enter tournaments with the same ranking I had before I got injured. Or I get wildcards. I'm going to go up in the ranking again as I play more matches, it's a natural process.
Q: Which goals do you have for this year?
David: My first goal is to play and feel healthy again. Then, obviously, I want to win the Davis Cup and a Grand Slam.
Q: The next Davis Cup tie is in three weeks. Do you think you can get in form in time for the tie against Sweden?
David: I'm always ready to play Davis Cup although I have to admit that I will have played only very few matches, going into that tie. We'll have to wait and see what the captain decides. For my part, I know that I'll do whatever I can to be there.
26 comments:
Thank u for the post, and i just read the comments on the older posts about a possibility for David not to play IW or Miami, i dont think changing surfaces would be the reason behind such a thing, cmmon the guy has been in the tour for like 10 years, thats he way it goes, plus he is a hard court specialist, i dont think it is the right thing to do skiping the americam hard court masters,unless if its for a medical reasons, doesnt want to play alot of matches in a row, eventhough it coulb be 1 or 2 matches in each 1 of them, considering the circumstances.
Hello
The bad thing that I anticipated happenned: DEL POTRO IS NOT GOING TO PLAY THE DC TIE...HE SAYS HE HAS AN INJURY. Even if he avoided the confirmation even before the injury, ejem....
So, everything is going TO REST ON DVID.... AGAIN!
I'm so, so, sooooo pissed
Not because the not playing or the "injury" but because I knew that was going to happen. Del Potro did it before (in the middle of the final tie, nor less) and he avoided giving an answer because the public was going to kill him. The injury was the perfect excuse, sorry. But I nver belived he was going to play
So now is confirmed: all is in David's head. Let's pray his obssession is placated now...
i can't beliece delpo, how the hell he is an Argentine, he should take some lessons from david, or even maradona .I now understand y nalby and delpo dont get along together.
ty 4 the update Anna
Last thing Del Pony did was play only one match in Kooyong exho and then pull out with a "wrist injury" after routing Lubicic. He went on to play well in the AO.
I think it is time to get used to the fact that Del Potro and David are complete opposites. lol Del Potro's ranking points clearly come first and he is more analytical and calculating (and successful at it lol ) than it appears I believe.
I still like Delpo, but not because he resembles David in the slightest. :)
This new article on DiarioShow.com claims that David won't play the tie, either...
But so far, it's the only one that says so.
Gosh, you guys are really quick. I just saw the Delpo story on the AP 7 minutes ago. I agree with you Anna. Delpo is a clown. I don't think Argentina can ever count on him. Next year he'll probably pull out with a hang nail. It's a shame because with a committed Delpo and a healthy David, Argentina could take the DC. Hope the article is wrong, Julia.
So TRUE, winning the davis cup requiers 2 great singles players, which i think Argentina has the upper hand, 2nd comes Spain. But somehow its not working :P
But whether David will play or not (and I'm still finding it very difficult to believe that he won't) - chances are that Argentina might find themselves back in the World Group playoffs next year...
Ok, I watched the enterview and was more of the same. besides it was one of those where David is not confortable with the reporter, so he wasn't that much talkative... still he talked more than what he'd have done in the past ;)
He talked a LOT about playing the Davis IN GENERAL and that it was one of his goals.
STILL he said some things that got me thinking, perhaps due to the fact that I knew Delpo wasn't going to play. He talked a lot about all the players (of the DC team) must want the same. And not be thinking about other things (meaining tournaments or goals) when they have to play the tie. And that the Captain plays a key role for this.
Maybe is my dislike towards Vazquez and Del Potro and knowing that Delpo won't play, but David gave me the impression of not wanting to be the one doing all the work again because the other members are not committed. My personal opinion was that he did in the past (I mean playing all) because he was the only one who could do it (Acasuso and others didn't have the quality to beat top players). But if he has to do it now again but because the others has no real interest but they don't say it because what the people could think? Not so sure if he wants to. BUT THAT'S MY IMPRESSION AND PROBABLY AFFECTED BECAUSE THE NOT PLAYING NEWS AND THIS ARTICULE.
It could make sense in that context. More if we think that VAzquez covered Del Potro when he didn't want to play the first tie the past year and when David couldn't play because the virus he called Delpo and delpo said no. And then, after that, Vazquez tried to twist and cover that "no" saying some things that made no sense.
Maybe, maybe, and that's my speculation only and putting all this things together he doesn't want to be the stupid one who does all the work, injured himself while the others play the victim or cry, when what they care are their careers.
But even with all that, still I don't see David not playing.
Well I've just had a look at MTF and it looks like Del Potro pulled out of Marseille and Dubai as well, not only DC so that does seem somewhat legitimate.
Yes, I'm not saying he's not injured or in paying... I'm saying he doesn't play NOT because the injury but because he doesn't care about the tie. All his past behaviour shows it. He doesn't say it because the argentine are very appassionate about team representing the country and the Davis is a major thig here. I'm not saying we don't belive the injury thing, I'm saying we don't belive he's not going to play because his injury. That's something he is lucky (in terms of excuse for the tie) to have. vEry diffent thing
I guess what you're saying is that Delpo should end his pause a week earlier for the sake of playing DC...
Well, I agree with you that the injury gives Delpo a reason (or alibi if you will) not to play. As I've said before, I never thought he really wanted to go to Stockholm and that only the expectations of the Argentine public could make him do it. Now he has a reason not to play. But although he's probably not exactly disappointed about missing that tie, I wouldn't go as far as saying that it was clear from the start that he was never going to play...
Well, we've found out before that we have different opinions about this.
Is this a blog about David, or a blog about Del Potro? The amount of discussion about Del Potro on a blog meant for David is hugely lopsided.
I pose this question: if David decides not to play Davis Cup, will people bash him (David) in the same way?
There's a saying that goes something like this: don't worry about what's going on in your neighbors' yards, keep your mind on your own back yard. In other words, for this case, don't worry about what is going on with Del Potro when David has enough problems of his own. Worrying about the wrong thing or person always backfires in the end...
Where are you going with this?
Whats wrong with ppl discussing Del Potro's issues, when it comes to Davis Cup Delpo's issues are Argentina's, Argentina's issues considers David.
The problem is when certain posters discuss del Potro ad nauseum. They conveniently use the situation surrounding Argentina's DC chances as a jump-off point.
Well said, Noubar. Argentine tennis, DC, Del Potro and David are all interconnected. Delpo pulling out of Marseille and Dubai does give a sense of legitimacy to his injury. But you always wonder with the big guy. For now I'm just looking forward to David playing Buenos Aires and Acapulco.
Anonymous, the reason behind this discussion about Delpo is David. Or rather, the concern about what might happen if because of Delpo's withdrawal, Argentina will once more rely on David to win this crucial tie.
Apart from that, yes, this is a blog about David, for his fans and everyone who's interested. But that doesn't mean it's only allowed to talk about David in the comments section.
Yes, it's not so hard to understand. Since the final I always said I don't like Del Potro and that I didn't trust him. Why we talk about him? Because David and the DC go together. More than it should. The DC was often a source of injuries for David. Let's remember what sealed his destiny with the hip injury... We're talking about a guy who played a final with tendinitis (Moscow 06) and worst, with his hip broken. Also in ARgentina the DC is highly important. When some argentine player wins a tournament the firsts comments or questions are about the Davis and how the champion could play on the team. It happened with David after Shangai, being 3rd in the word, after the MS etc and with Del Potro after the USOpen (a very high percent of comments were things like " with him in this level and David ok, we can win the Davis).
So, put all this together and add the fact that with David is always about the Davis (how many questions are related to the ties on his interview?), talking about the lack of commitement and how you can't trust in Del Potro IS talk about David. Because he's the "stupid" one who always goes and plays injured. And now the "stupid" is no near condition to be the one doing all. And Del Potro attitude, with his total lack of balls to say what he thinks really, so the not playing and the problems are always near or in the middle of the tie. Meaning? Again David having to play the double with the hip broken, pressure on him, etc the same that always. the talk about Del Potro is related to the Davis because it always ends affecting David. And now is the worst time to do it. And in Argentina we're pretty much pissed off not because the injury, but because he's using it as an excuse. Because he still think the people is stupid.
And the worst thing? And this clearly shows how the whole comments about Del potro AND the Davis (nobody talked about his career only about him on the team): we can start to count the articules saying "it all depends on Nalbandian"
And I have to add something: there are a lot of comments from people asking David NOT TO PLAY. Because they say they don't want him injured again because other players don't care.
Anna,
If you don't like del Potro, then please try not to devote entire paragraphs to that; we get it.
I'm "devoting" because some people just seem not wanting to understand why this is related to David. The good thing is except two posters (one who doesn't even post his/hers name)the rest understands why the whole "del potro attitude towards the DC" affects and deeply David.
And the way of being or feeling in Argentina towards certain things that involve a "national team" are way more different than in other countries (players from here and from other places said that)so, I explained that too. The titles in the news papers are not "Delpo is injured and out of the courts" is "Delpo is out of the DC" because that what it cares to the people here. When similar things happened to other players in other countries the title is often like the first example. Like it or not, that's how the people here is. That explains why David feels the way he does. And what follows that tittle that I mentioned? it what I said in those paragraphs: "all will depend on David Nalbandian now". So, all this is way close to David and how his comeback could be affected.
The whole DC thing affects David only on a surface level; no more than that. I can only assume that David has to carry the team-again. As to whether David himself lets this thing affect him, we can only guess.
I really feel sorry for David.
Julia i just saw the Entrants of copa telmex on the wiki, David is the 7th o the list with Protected Ranking "31", my first question is that, is the 31 ranking considered in making the draw, or its just the ranking that allows him to enter the list, 2nd why they dont give nalbandian a WC since he is their loved player and let him save the PR in the bank ?
btw: the player feilds is very strong this year in the Telmex, good luck david :)
Where did you find that?
I think this version is correct (though Gaudio & Schwank are missing as the two remaining wildcards). David got into the main draw by means of his ranking (#64 at the time). He didn't need a wildcard or his protected ranking. Which should be 15/16, as it's based on the average ranking in the first 3 months of absence.
And yeah, the field is pretty strong this year. I just hope he doesn't get Ferru...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Copa_Telmex
but i dont think Wiki's pages are reliable in such cases, but i really use wikipedia after the main draw is made, plus nice to hear he got in the draw with his own ranking, and yeah i hope he wont meet ferrer, its too much to face ferrer 2 times in 3 days lol
Post a Comment