CE09C1BB-71EC-4D83-AE50-95EB3AD398BC
By Alberto Amalfi
© Henk Abbink
(July 9, 2010) No preparation. No problem.
Playing his first match since April, David Nalbandian outdueled Nikolay Davydenko, 6-4, 7-6(5), 7-6(6) to stake Argentina to a 1-0 lead over host Russia in the Davis Cup quarterfinals at Moscow's Olympic Stadium.
Russia's Mikhail Youzhny evened the tie in today's second match. Youzhny, who has not lost a Davis Cup singles match staged on Russian soil in five years, dismissed Leonardo Mayer, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4.
Injuries have limited Nalbandian to 12 matches this season. Nalbandian has been nursing a slight tear in the abductor muscle of his right leg and had not played since suffering a 6-2, 6-3 loss to Novak Djokovic in the Monte Carlo quarterfinals as his ranking has dropped to No. 153.
But in a match between two of tennis' cleanest ball strikers, Nalbandian struck 44 winners, including 29 off his forehand, compared to 28 for Davydenko.
Nalbandian holds a 7-5 edge over Davydenko in their head-to-head series.
Nalbandian beat World No. 232 Andreas Vinciguerra 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the decisive fifth match to clinch Argentina's 3-2 win over host Sweden in Stockholm in the Davis Cup first round in March. He could play a pivotal role tomorrow as Nalbandian partners Horacio Zeballos against Russia's Teimuraz Gabashvili and Igor Kunitsyn in doubles.
Sunday's reverse singles pits Davydenko vs. Mayer followed by Youzhny against Nalbandian in the final match of the best-of-five match tie.
If Argentina can pull out the doubles to take a 2-1 lead hadead into Sunday's final day of play they have a serious shot of pulling off the upset. Youzhny has won two of three meetings with Nalbandian, but both victories came six years ago. Nalbandian won their most recent encounter, 7-6(5) in the third set in Monte Carlo in April.
WORLD GROUP QUARTERFINALS
FRANCE leads SPAIN 2-0
Venue: Grande Halle d'Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand (hard - indoors)
Gael Monfils (FRA) d. David Ferrer (ESP) 76(3) 62 46 57 64
Michael Llodra (FRA) d. Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 67(5) 64 63 76(2)
Julien Benneteau/Michael Llodra (FRA) v Feliciano Lopez/Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
Gael Monfils (FRA) v Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
Michael Llodra (FRA) v David Ferrer (ESP)
RUSSIA level with ARGENTINA 1-1
Venue: Olympic Stadium, Moscow (hard - indoors)
David Nalbandian (ARG) d. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 64 76(5) 76(6)
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) d. Leonardo Mayer (ARG) 63 61 64
Teimuraz Gabashvili/Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) v David Nalbandian/Horacio Zeballos (ARG)
Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) v Leonardo Mayer (ARG)
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) v David Nalbandian (ARG)
CROATIA level with SERBIA 1-1
Venue: Spaladium Arena, Split (hard – indoors)
Novak Djokovic (SRB) d. Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) 76(3) 64 61
Marin Cilic (CRO) d. Viktor Troicki (SRB) 64 75 62
Ivan Dodig/Antonio Veic (CRO) v Janko Tipsarevic/Nenad Zimonjic (SRB)
Marin Cilic (CRO) v Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) v Viktor Troicki (SRB)
CZECH REPUBLIC leads CHILE 2-0
Venue: Enjoy Tennis Center , Coquimbo (clay - outdoors)
Ivo Minar (CZE) d. Nicolas Massu (CHI) 60 62 63
Jan Hajek (CZE) d. Paul Capdeville (CHI) 60 62 61
Jorge Aguilar/Paul Capdeville (CHI) v Frantisek Cermak/Lukas Dlouhy (CZE)
Nicolas Massu (CHI) v Jan Hajek (CZE)
Paul Capdeville (CHI) v Ivo Minar (CZE)
EUROPE/AFRICA ZONE GROUP I FIRST ROUND PLAY-OFFS
NETHERLANDS leads BELARUS 2-0
Venue: Republic Olympic Training Centre for Tennis, Minsk (hard – outdoors)
Thiemo de Bakker (NED) d. Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) 62 62 75
Robin Haase (NED) d. Uladzimir Ignatik (BLR) 46 57 63 60 63
Alexander Bury/Max Mirnyi (BLR) v Jesse Huta Galung/Igor Sijsling (NED)
Uladzimir Ignatik (BLR) v Thiemo de Bakker (NED)
Andrei Vasilevski (BLR) v Robin Haase (NED)
ASIA/OCEANIA ZONE GROUP I FIRST ROUND PLAY-OFFS
CHINESE TAIPEI level with PHILIPPINES 1-1
Venue: Yang-Ming Tennis Center , Kaohsiung (hard – outdoors)
Tsung-Hua Yang (TPE) d. Treat Huey (PHI) 63 76(5) 76(5)
Cecil Mamiit (PHI) d. Ti Chen (TPE) 36 63 41 ret.
Tsung-Hua Yang/Chu-Huan Yi (TPE) v Ruben Gonzales/Johnny Arcilla (PHI)
Tsung-Hua Yang (TPE) v Cecil Mamiit (PHI)
Ti Chen (TPE) v Treat Huey (PHI)
UZBEKISTAN leads KOREA , REP. 2-0
Venue: Gimcheon Total Sports Town Tennis Courts, Gimcheon (hard – indoors)
Denis Istomin (UZB) d. Yong-Kyu Lim (KOR) 46 61 75 62
Farrukh Dustov (UZB) d. Young-Jun Kim (KOR) 67(6) 75 63 63
Kyu-Tae Im/Hyun-Joon Kim (KOR) v Murad Inoyatov/Denis Istomin (UZB)
Young-Jun Kim (KOR) v Denis Istomin (UZB)
Yong-Kyu Lim (KOR) v Farrukh Dustov (UZB)
EUROPE/AFRICA ZONE GROUP II SECOND ROUND
LITHUANIA leads IRELAND 2-0
Venue: Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club, Dublin (carpet - indoors)
Ricardas Berankis (LTU) d. James McGee (IRL) 67(2) 64 64 63
Laurynas Grigelis (LTU) d. Conor Niland (IRL) 62 63 61
James Cluskey/Barry King (IRL) v Laurynas Grigelis/Dovydas Sakinis (LTU)
Conor Niland (IRL) v Ricardas Berankis (LTU)
James McGee (IRL) v Laurynas Grigelis (LTU)
SLOVENIA leads BULGARIA 2-0
Venue: TK Krka Otocec, Otocec (clay – outdoors)
Grega Zemlja (SLO) d. Todor Enev (BUL) 63 61 26 64
Blaz Kavcic (SLO) d. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 16 61 60 63
Luka Gregorc/Grega Zemlja (SLO) v Valentin Dimov/Ivaylo Traykov (BUL)
Grega Zemlja (SLO) v Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)
Blaz Kavcic (SLO) v Todor Enev (BUL)
PORTUGAL leads CYPRUS 2-0
Venue: Centro de Tenis do Jamor, Cruz Quebrada (clay – outdoors)
Rui Machado (POR) d. Rares Cuzdriorean (CYP) 63 60 63
Frederico Gil (POR) d. Philippos Tsangaridis (CYP) 60 61 ret.
Frederico Gil/Leonardo Tavares (POR) v Rares Cuzdriorean/Eleftherios Christou (CYP)
Frederico Gil (POR) v Rares Cuzdriorean (CYP)
Rui Machado (POR) v Philippos Tsangaridis (CYP)
ESTONIA level with BOSNIA/HERZEGOVINA 1-1
Venue: Tere Tennisekeskus, Tallinn (clay – outdoors)
Jurgen Zopp (EST) d. Ismar Gorcic (BIH) 64 61 62
Aldin Setkic (BIH) d. Vladimir Ivanov (EST) 64 62 63
Mait Kunnap/Jurgen Zopp (EST) v Ismar Gorcic/Aldin Setkic (BIH)
Jurgen Zopp (EST) v Aldin Setkic (BIH)
Vladimir Ivanov (EST) v Ismar Gorcic (BIH)
EUROPE/AFRICA ZONE GROUP II PLAY-OFFS
GREAT BRITAIN leads TURKEY 2-0
Venue: Devonshire Park , Eastbourne (grass – outdoors)
Jamie Baker (GBR) d. Ergun Zorlu (TUR) 61 64 61
James Ward (GBR) d. Marsel Ilhan (TUR) 62 75 67(0) 61
Colin Fleming/Ken Skupski (GBR) v Haluk Akkoyun/Marsel Ilhan (TUR)
Jamie Baker (GBR) v Marsel Ilhan (TUR)
James Ward (GBR) v Ergun Zorlu (TUR)
MONACO leads NORWAY 2-0
Venue: Monte Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune Cap Martin (clay – outdoors)
Benjamin Balleret (MON) d. Stian Boretti (NOR) 60 63 21 ret.
Thomas Oger (MON) d. Erling Tveit (NOR) 61 62 76(5)
Guillaume Couillard/Thomas Oger (MON) v Stian Boretti/Erling Tveit (NOR)
Benjamin Balleret (MON) v Erling Tveit (NOR)
Thomas Oger (MON) v Stian Boretti (NOR)
DENMARK leads EGYPT 2-0
Venue: El Gezera Sporting Club, Cairo (clay – outdoors)
Frederik Nielsen (DEN) d. Sherif Sabry (EGY) 26 64 64 16 64
Martin Pedersen (DEN) d. Karim Maamoun (EGY) 76(4) 67(6) 76(3) 61
Karim Maamoun/Sherif Sabry (EGY) v Frederik Nielsen/Martin Pedersen (DEN)
Karim Maamoun (EGY) v Frederik Nielsen (DEN)
Sherif Sabry (EGY) v Martin Pedersen (DEN)
HUNGARY level with F.Y.R. MACEDONIA 1-1
Venue: Godollo Kiskastely, Godollo (clay – outdoors)
Attila Balazs (HUN) d. Predrag Rusevski (MDK) 64 62 64
Dimitar Grabuloski (MDK) d. Adam Kellner (HUN) 16 57 64 64 62
Gyorgy Balazs/Kornel Bardoczky (HUN) v Lazar Magdinchev/Predrag Rusevski (MDK)
Attila Balazs (HUN) v Dimitar Grabuloski (MDK)
Adam Kellner (HUN) v Predrag Rusevski (MDK)
AMERICAS ZONE GROUP II SECOND ROUND
VENEZUELA v PERU
Venue: Complejo de Tenis Vereda del Lago, Maracaibo (hard – outdoors)
David Souto (VEN) v Mauricio Echazu (PER)
Roman Recarte (VEN) v Ivan Miranda (PER)
Jose De Armas/ Piero Luisi (VEN) v Duilio Beretta/ Sergio Galdos (PER)
David Souto (VEN) v Ivan Miranda (PER)
Roman Recarte (VEN) v Mauricio Echazu (PER)
MEXICO leads PARAGUAY 1-0
Venue: Agua Vista Club de Campo Residecial, Encarnacion (clay – outdoors)
Daniel Garza (MEX) d. Gustavo Ramirez (PAR) 61 64 62
Daniel Lopez (PAR) v Cesar Ramirez (MEX)
Daniel Lopez/Gustavo Ramirez (PAR) v Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela/Bruno Rodriguez (MEX)
Daniel Lopez (PAR) v Daniel Garza (MEX)
Gustavo Ramirez (PAR) v Cesar Ramirez (MEX)
AMERICAS ZONE GROUP II PLAY-OFFS
EL SALVADOR leads BOLIVIA 1-0
Venue: Javier Luizaga, Cochabamba (clay – outdoors)
Rafael Arevalo (ESA) d. Mauricio Estivariz (BOL) 64 16 46 76(6) 86
Mauricio Doria-Medina (BOL) v Marcelo Arevalo (ESA)
Mauricio Doria-Medina/Federico Zeballos (BOL) v Marcelo Arevalo/Rafael Arevalo (ESA)
Mauricio Estivariz (BOL) v Marcelo Arevalo (ESA)
Mauricio Doria-Medina (BOL) v Rafael Arevalo (ESA)
GUATEMALA v NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
Venue: Federacion Nacional de Tenis, Guatemala City, (hard – outdoors)
Christopher Diaz-Figueroa (GUA) v Martijn Van Haasteren (AHO)
Julen Uriguen (GUA) v Alexander Blom (AHO)
Sebastien Vidal/Manuel Chavez (GUA) v Alexander Blom/Martijn Van Haasteren (AHO)
Christopher Diaz-Figueroa (GUA) v Alexander Blom (AHO)
Julen Uriguen (GUA) v Martjin Van Haasteren (AHO)
ASIA/OCEANIA ZONE GROUP II SECOND ROUND
INDONESIA level with THAILAND 1-1
Venue: Gelora Bung Karno Tennis Stadium, Jakarta (hard – outdoors)
Kittiphong Wachiramanowong (THA) d. Sunu-Wahyu Trijati (INA) 36 75 64 57 62
Christopher Rungkat (INA) d. Weerapat Doakmaiklee (THA) 64 62 60
Ketut-Nesa Arta/David Agung Susanto (INA) v Sanchai Ratiwatana/Sonchat Ratiwatana (THA)
Christopher Rungkat (INA) v Kittiphong Wachiramanowong (THA)
Sunu-Wahyu Trijati (INA) v Weerapat Doakmaiklee (THA)
NEW ZEALAND level with PAKISTAN 1-1
Venue: TSB Hub, Hawera, Taranaki (hard - indoors)
Jose Statham (NZL) d. Aqeel Khan (PAK) 64 60 60
Aisam Qureshi (PAK) d. Michael Venus (NZL) 76(2) 46 62 26 1513
Marcus Daniell/Michael Venus (NZL) v Aqeel Khan/Aisam Qureshi (PAK)
Jose Statham (NZL) v Aisam Qureshi (PAK)
Michael Venus (NZL) v Aqeel Khan (PAK)
ASIA/OCEANIA ZONE GROUP II PLAY-OFFS
MALAYSIA level with PACIFIC OCEANIA 1-1
Venue: Kompleks Tenis Tun Abd Razak, National Tennis Centre, Kuala Lumpur (hard – indoors)
Yew-Ming Si (MAS) d. Juan Langton (POC) 46 62 36 75 75
Michael Leong (POC) d. Abd-Hazli Bin Zainuddin (MAS) 61 61 60
Adam Jaya/Yew-Ming Si (MAS) v Cyril Jacobe/Juan Langton (POC)
Yew-Ming Si (MAS) v Michael Leong (POC)
Abd-Hazli Bin Zainuddin (MAS) v Juan Langton (POC)
SRI LANKA level with HONG KONG, CHINA 1-1
Venue: Sri Lanka Tennis Assocation, Colombo (clay - outdoors)
Harshana Godamanna (SRI) d. Hiu-Tung Yu (HKG) 63 62 60
Martin Sayer (HKG) d. Dineshkanthan Thangarajah (SRI) 63 62 60
Harshana Godamanna/Rajeev Rajapakse (SRI) v Martin Sayer/Hiu-Tung Yu (HKG)
Harshana Godamanna (SRI) v Martin Sayer (HKG)
Dineshkanthan Thangarajah (SRI) v Hiu-Tung Yu (HKG)