Article

  • Nalbandian suspicious as Mar del Plata gets Davis Cup final

    10/13/08 8:41 AM | Johan Lindahl
    - Argentine No. 1 David Nalbandian has blasted the imposed choice of Mar del Plata for next month's Davis Cup final with Spain, charging that underhanded dealings may be involved.

    "It's a very strange decision," said Nalbandian, whose hometown of Cordoba was rejected by the International Tennis Federation for the November 21-23 tie. "Players and captain and the federation want to play in Cordoba," he added of the 1.3 million metropolis, second-largest city in Argentina.

    "I don't know why they chose the other. Cordoba is better and has more infrastructure. Everything looked like we were supposed to play there. It's poor conditions (in Mar del Plata).

    "That's why we chose Cordoba, There must be something under the table with Mar del Plata."

    The remarks is creating a storm in Argentina, where the goal of beating the Spain of Rafael Nadal for a first-ever Davis Cup title is paramount.

    The hosts have chosen fast indoor hardcourts in hopes of thwarting Spain's clay-court monster Nadal. The seaside Mar del Plata venue will need to have seats added to bring the capacity up to the required 12,000 spectators.

    The Davis Cup committee made the decision in a conference call after "careful consideration of the plans proposed by the Argentine Tennis Association and the site visit reports made by ITF Representatives."

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Comments

Hardcourts is probably a good choice, given the fact that Argentina has DelPo and Nalby. Clay would have been a sure victory for the Spaniards.

cherylmurray , 10/13/08 7:08 PM


tennis is becoming so commercial, so full of politics ! The dilemma of which matters most, the players' convenience or the sponsors' benefits is always hanging in the balance... tennis will be the loser @ the end of the day.

agf25agf , 10/14/08 1:35 AM



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