A short review of the Davis Cup 2010 clashes
A total of sixteen countries contested against each other three months ago.
Federer's Switzerland was haggard with Spain in what should have been a spicy battle. In fact, it was just Federer. Nadal along with Federer was also not playing and replaced by Nicolas Almagro where as Federer was substituted by Marco Chiudinelli.
After the number two player from Switzerland, Wawrinka fought past Almagro in a stunning five-setter, David Ferrer hammered down Chiudinelli and the Granollers-Robredo pair then squeezed the doubles against Allegro and Wawrinka easily. The rest was conventional as Ferrer knocked down Wawrinka and Almagro concluded off the bushed surface in order to make it 4-1.
The Germans on the other hand ran into a powerful French side with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils and weakly gave up 4-1. Kohlschreiber as well as Becker also fell down meekly to Tsonga and Monfils. They squeezed the doubles through Benneteau -Llodra, and the rest was just a matter of convention.
The strong Russian side, crippled by the non appearance of an injured Davydenko, looked after the Indian side although the 3-2 score in the end makes it seem like a close battle. Kunitsyn defeated Devvarman in a close four-set encounter, where as stalwart Youzhny successfully handled the devilish serving Rohan Bopanna.
Though the renowned Paes-Bhupathi team dragged one back, the final score was never in question, as Youzhny fulfilled the ritual.
The Sweden side headed by Robin Soderling came head to head with Argentina and provided them a tough battle of the round number one. In the absence of their star player David Nalbandian for the very first singles match, the Argentinians did well to stay tied one each as Soderling knocked down Eduardo Schwank. Nalbandian came back for the doubles to provide his team with a lead of a 2-1 before Soderling tied with yet another singles win. After that, it was all up to Nalbandian who contested a close game under stress to finish off the rubber 3-2.
Gigantic serving Croatia, headed by ace experts Cilic and Karlovic, knocked down a timid Ecuador side while weaker Serbian side did pretty well to upset the American team with a 3-2 score line.
Isner on the other hand along with Querrey didn’t succeed in their singles ties, as Victor Troicki as well as Djokovic lasted in close clashes. Isner later on teamed up with Bob Bryan to drag one back in the doubles but it was so minor and overdue, as Nole then knocked down Isner in a total of five-sets.
Stimulated on by Nicolas Massu who is a Gold Medalist in double Olympic as well as Fernando Gonzalez, Chile knocked down Israel 4-1 to advance to a second round battle with a powerful Czech side that defeated Belgium by a similar difference. Headed by Berdych and Radek Stepanek from veteran, the Czechs concluded the tie in the first three ties and then contested out the inactive rubber.
The Davis Cup is actually an ideal setting to showcase heartbreaking performances. Over the last few years, there are several names who are known less for personal splendor and more for the positive outcome of a mutual struggle.
One such knock was shown back in the final of 2002 at Bercy, when a matchless Marat Safin headed the Russians in singles, and even then the rubber stayed tied at 2-2 after Kafelnikov was knocked down by Grosjean.
An active Mikhail Youzhny, substituting Kafelnikov, then instantly hammered down in the first two sets in front of sibilant home spectators in the last rubber. His challenger, Paul Henri-Mathieu, could have never even thought what was to actually follow.
On the very first occasion in the racy history of the championship, a two set deficit was worn down in a live fifth clash and Russia succeeded in an absolutely remarkable comeback for their very first Davis Cup trophy.
Youzhny's epic knock is now forever part of the championship’s custom.
So let’s see what this Davis Cup 2010 has in store for the tennis fans in its next couple of days.
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