Well, here we are again heading back to Vancouver for yet
another Davis Cup World group tie. This time against Spain, the winner of three
of the last five Championships. Very reminiscent of last year’s unenviable task
of taking on the French but oddly enough, perhaps there is a bit more room for optimism.
Canada is heading into 2013 with a great year of experience
behind them. Experience in handling expectations, as farfetched as they may be
as well as experience in dealing with pressure. The pressure that is riding on
the backs of the Canadian men as they head in to battle.
Tennis Nation in Canada is no longer a meek and indifferent
entity, we care now! There it is on the TV, and again on the radio… mentions of
the Canadian squad and their titanic upcoming battle draw interest now and why? Not only
cause we can win but we want to win.
That’s right, we want tennis success these days - we see the
light. Milos Raonic has captured the imagination of this country. With his
steady and ongoing climb in the rankings come a fist full of hopes and mouth
full of dreams. We want to consume, we are ready to consume. While the entrée in
this city is a plate full of Toronto Maple Leafs with a side of Jays and
Raptors, the dessert is a tasty but not overly sweet Tennis Canada brule. I am
not going to lie, that got way out of hand. That being said Argos are clearly
the coveted appetizer. Of course the
rest of Canada can substitute their city’s team. Like a plate of Cancucks and
sides of Lions and Whitecaps… again, I digress…
Let’s face facts however, how many modest tennis fans are
familiar with Davis Cup? The truth is, the Davis Cup format is nowhere close to
the appeal or prestige of a Wimbledon crown or even a Rogers Cup for that
matter, but the opportunity to defeat a world group powerhouse would raise the
profile significantly. And while Canada still is a bit thin roster wise, there
is no shortage of support from Tennis Canada and there should be no shortage of
belief.
So why is this a more winnable tie? Why is there room for
more optimism this year? Unlike the French who brought with them a bus load of
depth, the Spain team is doing just the opposite. Electing not to come to
Vancouver for one reason or another is Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Fernando
Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez. All top 40 players. Instead it will be the under
celebrated Nicolas Almagro leading a still steady and capable Spanish squad.
There is nothing here to take for granted. Spain’s depth chart is the best in
the world, no question and their pedigree is undeniable but all the
withstanding Canada’s fate is in their own hands. The key is, to come up big.
Sounds like a brilliant plan doesn’t it? I know I just over simplified a Davis
Cup tie but consider that Raonic is arguably the best player on either side,
and holds a 2-0 record on the Spanish ringer, Almagro, should the big man play
to his capabilities it is very realistic that Canada takes his two matches
leaving one more to claim. There is no reason to think that Pospisil can’t
handle a win or that the doubles genius of Daniel Nestor couldn’t come up big
one more time. My point is, This Davis Cup tie is winnable from a Canadian’s
prospective.
The high flying Spaniards will be a jack up team - missing
some big guns, you can be sure that this group has something to prove and
speaking of something to prove, Almagro will have some extra incentive to lead
Spain in to Canada after last season’s comments by Czech champion Tomas Berdych
who called out Almagro as Spain’s weak link. Perhaps that can swing against
Almargo placing even more pressure on him. We also know he is coming off disastrous
collapse at the hands of Ferrer in the Australian Open quarters. In the two
meeting against Raonic, one on hard and one on clay, Almagro has failed to even
grab a set.
So as I started, here we are again, primed and ready for
something amazing to happen. Now the question is, can promise be fulfilled?
Good luck boys
If ever there was a moment in this country’s tennis history
to provide so much inspiration and belief, the men in red and white can watch
this clip below of Daniel Nestor’s mammoth win over Stephan Edberg in the 1992
DC. and then look beside them and see the man himself continuing to inspire and
continuing to lead by example. Now that is one heck of a teammate.
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