- Title: ARGENTINA: TENNIS - Del Potro and Vazquez speak out ahead of a demanding match
- Date: 24th November 2011
- Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (NOVEMBER 23, 2011) (REUTERS) PLAYERS TRAINING FOR THE DAVIS CUP GENERAL VIEW OF THE ARGENTINE TENNIS CLUB VARIOUS OF JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO TRAINING AND PEOPLE WATCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO, ARGENTINE TENNIS PLAYER, SAYING "We have the chance to play another Davis Cup final. It is going to be on a clay court and it will be strange that Argentina is not the favourite, but I think that for now everything is good. Physically, I am getting better every day. And the important thing is to arrive in good condition and to be prepared." VARIOUS OF DAVID NALBANDIAN GETTING OFF THE BENCH WITH RACKET, READY TO PLAY VARIOUS OF NALBANDIAN PLAYING TENNIS AND PEOPLE WALKING VARIOUS OF DEL POTRO AND NALBANDIAN PRACTISING GENERAL VIEW OF COURT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DEL POTRO, SAYING: "You have to be calm and know what our strong points are and enhance them. As for the weaknesses, you have to balance them out with the strengths. We know the Spanish team and all of the weaknesses that they can have, and we have to try to note that. I think we have to think more about us, and less about the rivals." VARIOUS OF DEL POTRO AND JUAN IGANCIO CHELA PRACTISING TENNIS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TEAM COACH, MODESTO "TITO" VAZQUEZ, SAYING: "This final has been taken on with a great sense of responsibility. Everyone is trying to do they best they can. They have been training double the time, intensely, for the last two weeks. Obviously, we know it is a very difficult match. On a clay court, Nadal and Ferrer are very strong players. The evidence is shown by the world ranking that they have and it will probably be our toughest match yet." VAZQUEZ LEAVING GROUP OF JOURNALISTS VARIOUS OF NALBANDIAN AND JUAN MONACO PRACTISING
- Embargoed: 9th December 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Argentina, Argentina
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA6W0NYKKSNNFZTT31O0Q8PGCL6
- Story Text: Argentina's top tennis players were training hard in Buenos Aires on Wednesday (November 23) ahead of their Davis Cup Final against Spain.
The match will take place early next month (December 2 to December 4) on a new clay court in Seville.
Star player Juan Martin del Potro said the team was not used to be the underdogs on their preferred court surface.
"We have the chance to play another Davis Cup final. It is going to be on a clay court and it will be strange that Argentina is not the favourite, but I think that for now everything is good. Physically, I am getting better every day. And the important thing is to arrive in good condition and to be prepared," said Del Potro.
Argentina's provisional team was announced at the end of last week and includes Del Potro, plus David Nalbandian, Juan Ignacio Chela, Eduardo Schwank, Juan Monaco and, for sparring, Facundo Bagnis.
The team was training at the Argentina Tennis Club and Del Potro said they intended to play to their own strengths.
"You have to be calm and know what our strong points are and enhance them. As for the weaknesses, you have to balance them out with the strengths. We know the Spanish team and all of the weaknesses that they can have, and we have to try to note that. I think we have to think more about us, and less about the rivals," said Del Potro.
Team captain Modesto "Tito" Vazquez said playing against Spanish players Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer would be a major challenge.
"This final has been taken on with a great sense of responsibility. Everyone is trying to do they best they can. They have been training double the time, intensely, for the last two weeks. Obviously, we know it is a very difficult match. On a clay court, Nadal and Ferrer are very strong players. The evidence is shown by the world ranking that they have and it will probably be our toughest match yet," said Vazquez.
Argentina are in their fourth final, the third since 2006. Spain are four-times champions. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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