ARGENTINA: TENNIS: Argentina captain predicts a tough match against Croatia as the South American country continues its quest for the Davis Cup

Record ID: 446918

  • Title: ARGENTINA: TENNIS: Argentina captain predicts a tough match against Croatia as the South American country continues its quest for the Davis Cup
  • Date: 23rd March 2012
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (MARCH 22, 2012) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MARTIN JAITE SAYING: "I don't have anything to say about that, I can't say anything, what I can tell you is that Nadal, just like any other professional to get to this position had to work like a dog, not because they are taking a pill or not… they work hard all day every day, and Rafa Nadal is num
  • Embargoed: 7th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAAQVQ0VNWYK8D36THTDSD8DL0
  • Story Text: Argentina's quest to win the Davis Cup for the first time after losing four finals is not an extra weight on the players' shoulders, captain Martin Jaite has told Reuters.
    The nation that has reached the most finals without lifting the famous salad bowl continues its latest campaign against Croatia in a quarter-final in Buenos Aires starting on April 6.
    "Luckily our players deeply respect our rivals. They deeply respect the Croatians and know that it is a tough match, this keeps them from relaxing. We know we have a good team, our players know that we have a good team, but we are far from unbeatable," he said in an interview.
    "Sometimes you get lost in the size of it, but what Juan Martin has accomplished up to now is incredible because he is already getting close to the top positions, to fifth or sixth place. Juan Martin lost an important year of competition against them. That is why it is still sometimes hard for him to play against them. You can forget that before his injury he had beat Rafa various times and he beat Federer. And the good thing about Juan Martin is that he has only lost to these three or four players," he said.
    Jaite said his relationship with the players and their coaching staff was good and top Argentine Juan Martin de Potro's unavailability for the first round, criticised at home, had been handled properly and in no way counted against him.
    Del Potro, U.S. Open champion in 2009 and now working his way back up the rankings after wrist surgery in 2010, wanted to concentrate on his start to the ATP Tour season but is now in the team to face Croatia.
    He said the 23-year-old Del Potro had made impressive strides in his bid to break into the tour's elite.
    "(World number one Novak) Djokovic took a couple of hard years but it's incredible how he has dislodged the greats like Rafa (Nadal) and (Roger) Federer," Jaite said.
    Asked who else he sees on the horizon, Jaite was clear.
    "For me those that are closest, the closest to this group is Juan Martin [Del Potro]. This group of four because I would also include Andy Murray and Juan Martin. For me it comes down to these four."
    Argentina will host the tie with Croatia at Parque Roca, a purpose-built claycourt venue on the city outskirts which some years back took over from the BALTC as their home court.
    Jaite said Argentina, despite a favourable draw this year which put them at home against any of their leading title rivals, could not afford to look beyond their next tie.
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