Nicolas Almagro faces Jurgen Melzer in the opening singles rubber Davis Cup – Tennis News
Stage is set for the quarter-final tie of the Davis Cup World Group to begin and Team Spain will take on the talented Austrian squad on 6th of April. The opening singles rubber will be played between the world number
12, Nicolas Almagro of Spain and the Austrian spearhead, Jurgen Melzer, on Friday night.
Team Spain is led by the world number five, David Ferrer, along with Almagro, 26th ranked Marcel Granollers and the doubles specialist, Marc Lopez. The defending champions will take on the Austrian visitors on their
home soil, at the Marina d’Or in Oropesa del Mar, in Spain. Although the Spanish tennis ace, Rafael Nadal, is out of the Davis Cup squad due to injury, the home side is deemed to be the favourite for winning the quarter-final in front of its ever-enthusiastic
home crowd. With the best clay-courts players in the side, Team Spain is considered as the formidable unit and the hot favourite for winning the tie.
12th ranked Almagro will start the proceedings in the all-important opening tie against Austria’s best tennis player. The Spaniard knows how significant it is to win take down the opponent’s spearhead in the very first
rubber to get the psychological advantage over the opposition. Melzer is rated at number 21 in the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Rankings but he has been a top-tenner last year and can take down any opponent on his day.
Team Austria heavily relies on the expertise of Melzer and needs him to fire this time. Other members of the squad include the world number 139, Andreas Haider-Maurer, 708th ranked Alexander Peya and doubles expert,
Oliver Marach.
No doubt Team Spain is much stronger on paper but you never know when an upset comes in a tennis match. Sending in Almagro first to face Melzer looks like a good strategy from the Spanish captain, Alex Corretja; he wants to break
the opponent’s spearhead right away to pressurise them and get then go through the rest of the squad members to register victory. David Ferrer will take on Haider-Maurer in the second singles rubber of the first day.
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