Nikolay Davydenko has postponed his honeymoon for at least a
week to lead Russia in this weekend's Davis Cup final against
Argentina.
World number three Davydenko, who married his long-time
sweetheart Irina Vasina on Saturday, said winning the cup would be
the best present he could get from his team mates.
Russia, undefeated at home in the Davis Cup since 1997 and also
featuring former world number one Marat Safin, Mikhail Youzhny and
Dmitry Tursunov, are considered the overwhelming favourites on a
fast indoor court at Moscow's Olympic arena against the clay-court
specialists from South America.
The Argentines are countering with world number eight David
Nalbandian, Jose Acasuso, Agustin Calleri and Juan Ignacio
Chela.
Russia captain Shamil Tarpishchev is taking nothing for granted,
however. "When you have two evenly matched teams, each has a 50-50
chance of winning," Tarpishchev told Reuters.
"But in this particular case, I would even give Argentina a
slight edge simply because they have a more balanced line-up."
His Argentine counterpart Alberto Mancini echoed that view.
"We don't consider ourselves to be clear underdogs," Mancini
told reporters after arriving in Moscow on Sunday. "We are capable
of playing quality tennis and we'll do our best to win."
This will be the fourth meeting between the two nations, with
the Russians holding a slight edge, 2-1.
ARGENTINE REVENGE
Russia won the 2002 semi-final 3-2 on a similarly quick surface
in Moscow on their way to claiming their first Davis Cup title,
with Argentina taking swift revenge by thrashing them 5-0 in the
quarter-finals in Buenos Aires the following year.
Russia also won 3-2 the countries' first meeting in a world
group playoff in the Argentine capital in 1985.
Russia have lost both their previous Davis Cup finals held on
home soil, to Sweden and the United States in 1994 and 1995
respectively. They beat France in the 2002 Paris final for their
only triumph.
Argentina lost their only previous final to the U.S. in
1981.
Tarpishchev is likely to start with Davydenko and Safin as his
two singles players and use Youzhny and Tursunov in doubles.
Youzhny, who clinched Russia's maiden Davis Cup title when he came
from two sets down to beat Paul-Henri Mathieu in the decisive fifth
rubber in Paris, has recovered from a serious ankle injury he
suffered a month ago.
Tarpishchev could employ a similar strategy to the one he used
in the 3-2 semi-final victory over the U.S. in September.
Then, on the last day of the three-day tie in Moscow, he brought
in a fresh Tursunov against U.S. number one Andy Roddick for the
decisive point.
This time, Tursunov could play the spoiler role again, replacing
Davydenko against Argentine's top gun Nalbandian.
While Safin has won six out of eight encounters against
Nalbandian, including the two they played on carpet, Davydenko has
a dismal head-to-head record against the muscular Argentine, losing
their last three matches.
The visitors can count on support from one of their most loyal
fans, Diego Maradona.
The former Argentina soccer captain, who has attended several of
his country's Davis Cup home ties, is expected to travel to Moscow
to root for his compatriots.
(Reuters November 28, 2006)