Mardy Fish vs Feliciano Lopez, Second Rubber Preview – Davis Cup 2011: USA vs ESP Quarterfinal
As the Spaniards cruised through the first round beating Belgium in a 4-1 knockout, they have yet to prove themselves strong enough to win the title. Starting the quarter-final round is the match between world number eight Mardy
Fish and the Spaniard number two on the team, Feliciano Lopez. The match is being played at the on the indoor hard courts of the Americans home ground Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas, giving the 29-year-old the home court advantage.
Previously, U.S.A has dominated the Cup with a five win lead against the Spaniards. The Americans qualified for the quarterfinal round this year after graving Chile in the first round, earlier in the year. However, Mardy Fish did
not compete in the first round.
Maintaining his ranking in both singles and doubles, Mardy Fish has very much made his marks in the game. Ranking at world No.8 in singles and at world No.48 in doubles makes it hard to determine that whether he would lose his
temper in his first match or not. Considered to be a ground strokes specialist, the American has an aggressive style and a strong forehand.
On the other hand, world No.31, the Spaniard is considered an unpredictable player on tour. He has appeared in 25 fixtures in the Davis Cup so far. Winning 11 out of the total, Lopez has 1-2 mark on hard surfaces in the Davis Cup.
The 29 year old World No.31 has 4 wins and 8 losses on hard grounds. Having won his first singles rubber in Davis Cup this season by a close call, the Spaniard needs to strengthen his backhands a little.
Both players have a strong competitive record. Having played each other five times before on different tours, Mardy Fish has been less successful on hard courts. Three of the five encounters they had were on hard courts, of which
Lopez has won only two. Regardless of the fact that the Spaniard has better stats on hard ground, Mardy Fish leads the overall head-to-head 3-2.
Considering the fact that Davis Cup is an upset for some players, Fish has managed to keep his records straight. In a total of fifteen appearances at the Davis Cup, Mardy has managed to be victorious nine times. The American has
been consistent on both grounds in the Davis Cup and is proving to be a profitable boost for Team U.S.A but the stats might not reflect a sure shot win for the World No.8.
Tags: