Training Videos

Update (05/03)
La Nacion has this report about David's first evening in Stockholm yesterday, complete with some quotes and David admitting that what he's doing is indeed madness...

At 6.20pm the Lufthansa flight with David Nalbandian on board landed at Arlanda, Stockholm's airport.

At 7.30pm, Nalbandian appeared at the Kungliga Tennishallen and couldn't keep himself from joking around with vice-captain Ricardo Rivera, who was on court, playing some points with Luis Pianelli, the team's stringer.

At 7.35pm, Nalbandian went down the stairs to the locker room, together with his faithful companion and kinesiologist Diego Rodriguez, and walked directly into Federico Delbonis, the player he's replacing, and Modesto Vázquez, Argentina's captain. "Sorry, mate. This was a crazy idea," Nalbandian said to the 19-year-old Delbonis. "Thank you for coming, David," Tito cut in quickly.

At 7.40pm, Javier Maquirriain [apparently the team's doctor] examined the strained right adductor.

At 7.50pm, Nalbandian walked onto the court, ready for his first training session in Stockholm, along with the one who will be his doubles partner on Saturday - Horacio Zeballos.

With the help of Delbonis, Caio Rivera and Tito Vázquez, the training for the [newly formed] doubles was designed for them to find their rhythm and also to start adjusting some things, like the positions on court. David will be playing on the left because the left-hander [Zeballos] prefers to play his forehand at the centre of the court. Nalbandian was constantly giving instructions to Zeballos. On Friday, apart from [following] the first two rubbers, they will do two more shifts of training and continue to work on the details.

"It's not ideal to come here now, but it was a strange week and fortunately one that saw a very positive development. If I think about it, I'd say that I shouldn't be playing yet. Having come here is madness, but I do it because I love Davis [Cup] and because playing for Argentina motivates me. The first training went well. I hope to do my part in the doubles," Nalbandian said.

And on Sunday, if necessary? "Today is Thursday... Tomorrow, there's the two singles? Then we play on Saturday? And then we'll see. - I still haven't got my bags," added Nalbandian, who had to practice in an outfit borrowed from Diego Rodriguez and shoes from Alejandro Lombardo, Zeballos' coach.

"That David was able to come is a huge help for us. He's a great Davis Cup player. He'll help us stay calm and he'll lead the way because we are fairly new to this. I'll be the best partner I can be for him in the doubles. He's the leading figure of the team," Zeballos said.

And Mayer? "For us it changes everything. David is a great Davis Cup player. That he's here is what's best for everyone. He's going to play the doubles, which is always the most difficult rubber for Argentina."

And here are some clips of David arriving, training, practicing doubles with Zeballos and doing a first interview at the Kungliga Tennishallen in Stockholm (thanks, Tamar)...













News agency EFE reports that David arrived in Stockholm only with his hand luggage as his bags got lost somewhere along the way between Argentina and Sweden. Therefore, David had to borrow a pair of shoes for his first training session... (Though for some reason his hand luggage apparently contained what looks like a Yonex training outfit.)