 Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 21 Sep 2006 |  Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 21 Sep 2006 |  Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 21 Sep 2006 |  Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 21 Sep 2006 |  Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 21 Sep 2006 |  Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 21 Sep 2006 |  Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 21 Sep 2006 |  Photographer: Marcelo Ruschel
Date: 21 Sep 2006 |
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| 21 Sep 2006 - EXPOMINAS, Belo Horizonte, Brazil - Georges Homsi | |
| Sweden favoured in Brazil |
Flavio Saretta will open up Brazil's Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Play-off tie against Sweden's Andreas Vinciguerra on Friday. Vinciguerra returns to Davis Cup action after a three year absence, his last appearance coming when Sweden overcame Brazil 3-2 by virtue of Vinciguerra defeating Friday's opponent Saretta in the fifth rubber in the World Group First Round.
Ricardo Mello will take on Robin Soderling in the second rubber at the Expominas in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
The full draw is as follows:
Flavio Saretta (BRA) v Andreas Vinciguerra (SWE)
Ricardo Mello (BRA) v Robin Soderling (SWE)
Gustavo Kuerton/Andre Sa (BRA) v Simon Aspelin/Jonas Bjorkman (SWE)
Flavio Saretta (BRA) v Robin Soderling (SWE)
Ricardo Mello (BRA) v Andreas Vinciguerra (SWE)
Swedish captain Mats Wilander may have been a little disappointed when he learned that Brazil had chosen Belo Horizonte to host Sweden in the World Group Play-off tie. The capital of the state of Minas Gerais, the third largest city in Brazil doesn’t have any dream beaches to offer in contrast to heaps of other cities in Brazil. But the bottom line is that the Swedes can now concentrate 100 per cent on the job: trying to keep their country in the World Group of the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas.
“Thank you for not choosing Rio,” Wilander told his hosts on Wednesday night at the official dinner held in a typical Brazilian Churrascaria.
Sweden favourites
There is little doubt that Sweden, one of the most successful countries in the Davis Cup history, will be the favourite this week-end. Sure, the Brazilians will count on the vocal support of their “torcedores” as they call their supporters, at the Expo Minas. And sure, they chose clay, which is theoretically the Vikings’ least comfortable surface. But as Wilander remarks:
“Considering the players we have on the team, and the fact that Thomas Johansson wasn’t able to be part of it, clay may be the best surface for us after all. If it’s not the best choice for Robin Söderling it’s the second best, and it is definitely Vinciguerra’s best surface. And let’s not forget the altitude which makes it much quicker.”
Thomas Johansson opted out of the team to stay close to his wife who is due to have their first child in October.
Robin Soderling has proven in the past that he was worthy of being a solid n°1. “It is the third time in a row that we play abroad, but I won’t feel too much pressure. I’m ready,” he said.
Vinciguerra in form
Also, the form shown recently by the team’s comeback player, Andreas Vinciguerra is definitely promising. Vinciguerra, who has been forced to miss the last two years on the circuit due to injury, has been playing Challenger events on clay, winning one, and reaching the final of two others.
“Let’s not forget that he is the one who gave us the decisive point against Saretta in Helsingborg three years ago,” remembered Wilander.
Interestingly, the opening match on Friday will see these two meet again.
“I’m confident. We have prepared extremely well, and I feel ready for the challenge,” Saretta said. “The Swedes have few weaknesses, but we are here to win.”
Kuerten returns to action
In the second singles, Söderling will face Ricardo Mello, who has proven himself on the main circuit in the past two years. Yet, Brazilian captain Fernando Meligeni’s decision to select Gustavo Kuerten and Andre Sa for the doubles leaving aside Tiago Alves, arguably Brazil’s best singles player of the moment drew some questions.
“It’s a calculated risk,” said Meligeni. “It’s great to be able to count on Guga”s experience at this level, and in case one of our singles players couldn’t play on Sunday for whatever reason, we can still count on Sa who has been ranked in the top 50 in singles before.”
Kuerten hasn’t played in competition since the Brazil Open in February, as the three-time Roland Garros champion was yet to fully recover from a second hip surgery.
“Sure I have not competed in seven months, but I have been practicing extremely hard” Guga said.
Kuerten and Sa are due to face the tough team of experienced doubles players Jonas Bjorkman and Simon Aspelin.
“We know that Aspelin will be the weak link, and yet he’s an excellent doubles player” Sa said.
Playing in front of his home crowd (Sa is the only team member who is from the state of Minas Gerais) could he hoped generate a pleasant miracle this weekend.
Related Links on other websites
> Informação no português - CBT
> Information in Swedish – Tennis Sweden
Related Links on Daviscup.com
> Tie Information
> Scorecards and stats from this tie
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