The temperature rises in Moscow (Preparation for 2006 Davis Cup Final)
莫斯科緊張氣氛升高﹐DAVIS CUP 倒數計時了!!

The weather is unexpectedly warm at the moment in Moscow, just as things hot up inside the Olympic Stadium. The streets of this historic capital are free of snow, and the hosts will be hoping that isn’t the only thing that’s different from when they contested their two previous Davis Cup finals here in 1994 and 1995.


Russia bids for home triumph

With freezing conditions outside, Russia fell inside this same stadium, to Sweden in 1994, and the United States in 1995. Since then of course the nation has won the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas, doing so in spectacular fashion against France in Paris in 2002. But triumphing at home is the goal that drives the team this week, and the chance to prove themselves in front of more than 10,000 home fans and dignitaries in Russian tennis’s spiritual home.

Playing Argentina in what should be a fascinating Davis Cup final, the question that will be answered over the next few days is which team’s desire is the greater: that of the Russians to win at home, or the Argentineans to win their first Davis Cup title in history.

It is the Argentineans’ first visit to the final for 25 years, and for most of them their first trip to Moscow. Since arriving from Geneva on Sunday there hasn’t been much time for sightseeing, but they have been to Red Square, the scale of which surely prepared them for the vastness of the task ahead and the sheer size of the venue, built for the 1980 Olympic Games.


'Good surprise' for Argentina

After two days’ practice on the indoor carpet the visitors are feeling comfortable. “Obviously we don’t prefer carpet over clay, but we had a good surprise when we came here; it’s not as fast as we thought it would be, so we’re adjusting well to the surface,” said captain Alberto Mancini.

Neither captain was giving much away at Tuesday’s press conferences about who will play singles, or even doubles. Both teams feature men who can play either, and both Mancini and Russian captain Shamil Tarpischev have the luxury of picking a line-up for Thursday’s draw, but then making the necessary tweaks and substitutions as they go along for doubles and the reverse singles. But they will need to get their tactics right.

Both Argentina and Russia present very united fronts, from their matching tracksuits – Argentina in blue and white, Russia in red and white – up. Although Guillermo Canas is in Moscow as the fifth player, for now the same Argentinean line-up that has featured in all three previous rounds in 2006 has been nominated. “I think this is a very strong team, and a very united team. We have come from the beginning of the year and feel strong together, which is very important,” said Mancini. The Russians seem equally close-knit, although the group is widened by the inclusion of Igor Andreev, who played in this year’s first round before injury, and 18-year-old hitting partner Evgeny Korolev.


Safin the leader of the hosts

The Russians are unconcerned about the speed of a court which has been built to suit them, and on which Safin and Davydenko reached the final of the Kremlin Cup seven weeks ago. “We’ll see how they’re [Argentina] gonna play during the match, because when it’s really fast, it’s not really good for us (either),” said Safin.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Safin is the lynchpin of the Russians, despite being the lowest-ranked member of the host team. The highest-ranked is world No. 3 Davydenko, whose dedication to the cause is unquestioned because he has delayed his honeymoon to represent his country, and practised on the day of his wedding to Irina Vasnina last Saturday. Davydenko’s fellow US Open semifinalist Mikhail Youzhny also arrives at this final with an impressive work ethic, having undergone a month’s worth of rehabilitation in a Moscow clinic to ensure his injured right ankle would be fit in time for this encounter.


Nalbandian the key Argentine

No-one doubts who the driving force and key player in the Argentinean team is, although Nalbandian plays down suggestions that a historic victory in Moscow depends on him. The world No. 8 said, “I can play three days, but the team needs everyone, not just me. If I play good or bad, I have the support of the team, the quality of players to help Argentina to win.”

“I think all the team believe in this chance for us,” Nalbandian added.

Marat audio link:
http://www.daviscup.com/shared/medialibrary/audio/mp3/DC_6751_mp3.MP3