Captain Guillermo Coria’s reasons for getting excited about reaching the Davis Cup final

The goal is clear: to rejoin the elite and qualify for the Playoffs of the 2022 Davis Cup Finals. To achieve this, the Argentine tennis team will have to finish between the top two in Zone A of the group stage, which will be played between Tuesday and Sunday next week, in the Unipol Arena from meat sauce. It will be a great challenge, because he will face three tough opponents like Italy, Croatia Y Sweden, and will play on a surface that doesn’t have many touring tournaments: indoor folder. but the captain William Coria and his tennis players are thrilled to get the coveted ticket to the final stage, which will be played Rum raisin in November.

They have reasons to aim high. Diego Schwartzmanna constant of the team, born from the rediscovery of his tennis and good feelings in US Openin which he said goodbye in the third round, but playing a good match, against Frances Tiafoe. Sebastian Baez and the debutante Francesco Cerundolo, the other singles, are having the best moments of their careers. and the duo Horace Zeballo–Massimo Gonzalez for some time now, it has been a strong double card, a point that was once the weakest for our country.

Although they also have reasons to be cautious. Because Italy has a great team, with Sinner Jannikwho will play the quarter-finals of the North American Grand Slam this Wednesday; Matteo Berretti, always at a very competitive level; and the experience of the couple Fabio Fogni–Simone Bolelli. Croatia comes strengthened by the recent consecration of Borna Coric in Cincinnati; were born Marino Cilic, who comes from the round of 16 in New York; and a double super consolidated, Nikola Mektic Y Matt PavicGrand Slam champions and former n. 1. AND Swedenwith the brothers Michael Y Elia Ymerwho are getting stronger in Davis and tend to show that in this tournament the rankings sometimes don’t matter.

“We had a difficult group, but we will fight to get Argentina where it deserves to be, in the quarter-finals,” said Coria during the event that took place on Wednesday at the Argentine Tennis Club to greet the team, 24 hours before embarking on a trip to Italy.

“We can’t wait, lots of batteries and with great enthusiasm. Luckily the day has come, I had been canceling the days for the arrival of the trip for some time. It seemed like time never passed, although now I really feel that we were playing in Buenos Aires with the Czech Republic for nothing, “commented the Argentine captain, who made his debut in that role in March, in the 4-0 win against Spain. Czechs in Lawn Tennis, for the Qualifiers of this Group Stage.

Under the sun of a warm Buenos Aires morning, the captain, his technical staff –Martin Garcia Y Leonard Mayer– and the players enjoyed a moment of relaxation, in which they chatted with the press and took pictures with the people who, curious, came to see what was happening at the club.

One of the most sought after was Schwartzman, who since his debut in 2015 – in that Tecnópolis series against Brazil that had gone down in history for the eternal encounter between Leo Mayer and Joao Souza – was absent from Davis only in 2016. Since then 2017, no comparison is lost.

“I grew up with the entire Legion playing and representing the country. For those of us who were young and just starting to play tennis, we really wanted to follow them. All of this comes to mind every time a Davis Cup approaches. I never hesitate to be there and I’m happy to go back, “commented the small16th in the standings.

And he added: “Being able to share in a group is something I really enjoy. Tennis is a very individualistic sport and sometimes having that week where you can share the good and the bad is very nice. This also motivates me. to play”.

Argentina will debut on Tuesday 13 against Sweden. The Friday 17 will collide with Italy and the Saturday 18with Croatia. All series will begin at 10 in our country. The two best players in each group – at the same time B will be played in Valencia; the C in Hamburg; and D, in Glasgow – will reach the quarter-finals. That final phase, with direct elimination, will be played from 22 to 27 November in Malaga.

“We are happy to open with Sweden. It will be important to start well and hopefully with good results. You have to keep in mind that every set is important here, because with this format every set can count to qualify. Players know that they must enter fully active from the very beginning. first point, “explained Coria. “The surface tells you it’s one thing, but until you come and see it … We have to try to adapt to the field as soon as possible.”

The coaching staff has not yet decided who the singles will be to face Sweden, a task that will not be easy, because the three are well under way. Báez sounded the alarm when he retired, very sore in his leg, on his US Open debut, when he was losing 5-7, 5-7 and 0-2 with Carlos Alcaraz. But he is already healed.

“I feel very good. I think it was a bit of the end of the tour, where sometimes it brings a bit of pain and the build up of tournaments. Luckily it was nothing serious, I was able to recover pretty quickly . I’m happy to get ready to play, ”commented the Buenos Aires native, 37th in the standings and this year’s Estoril champion.

And Cerúndolo, who also comes from the first round defeat against Flushing Meadows Andy Murrayhe is very motivated to be able to make his debut with the Argentine shirt.

“It is an immense joy. It is a dream that I always had as a child and that came true this year … I had an incredible year, I did not expect it, and to be able to add this experience to it is something impressive for me, it makes me very happy to really want to be there and have this experience, ”said the 27th-ranked player, who won his first ATP title in July in Bastad.

“It is logical that there is a lot of tension and a lot of nerves. We, as we have done for the previous series, want to tell them in advance who will play each series, so that they too can prepare. And we will take advantage of these previous days to stay together, work, accompany them and make the players feel as comfortable as possible, the good thing is that we have many variations, they are all on very uniform levels and above all they are good guys “, assured Coria.

The preview of Superclásico and Qatar

There was not only talk of tennis at the farewell of the Argentine tennis team. Among the questions about the rivals, the surface and the present of the team, some players have slipped, as could be expected with the Super classic within hours of dispute and the Qatar World Cup ever closer. And also with two fans of Mouth Y River, Diego Schwartzmann Y William Coriarespectively, in the group.

“Will you see the Superclásico together?”, have consulted the player and the captain in advance. “The small he is going to sleep already at that time … he must sleep. You will not be able to see it. The captain, yes, ‘Coria hastened to reply, laughing.

And he continued, more serious, but always in a relaxed tone: “It will be 10 pm and it will end in mid-afternoon. The next day we will train, but we will see if we can organize ourselves to see it. Maybe not. Nothing happens, it’s a match. of football. If it were a final it would be a problem. And then we are already with our heads at the World Cup. With our heads in Argentina, in Messi, in Qatar “. .

Schwartzman advised that he likes to watch games alone. Although he added: “I’m not tired of Boca as before. Today I’m more tied to the national team and the World Cup.”.

And he said he plans to go to Qatar. “I’m going to go. I don’t know when, I don’t know if from the Davis Cup, if from here, from where … I don’t know how long I’ll be there. .. But I’m going for sure”insured.

Davis groups

Group A, in Bologna: Croatia, Italy, Argentina and Sweden

Group B, in Valencia: Spain, South Korea, Serbia and Canada.

Group C, in Hamburg: France, Germany, Australia and Belgium.

Group D, in Glasgow: United States, Great Britain, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands.