Tennis .- (Preview) Rafa Nadal leads a new attempt by Spain to win the ATP Cup
MADRID, 1 Feb. 2021 (Europa Press) –
Spain will begin this Tuesday a new attempt to conquer the ATP Cup, whose second edition begins this Tuesday in Melbourne (Australia), and will do so under the leadership of the Balearic Rafa Nadal, number two in the world, in what is the official premiere of the season for the best of the circuit.
The Spanish team stayed at the gates of the title in 2020 in the premiere on the calendar of this new team competition, which crowned Novak Djokovic’s Serbia, who beat the ‘Armada’ 2-1 in a determined final in double.
Spain will participate in this event with a team practically similar to that of a year ago and one of the most powerful if the current ATP ranking is taken into account. Nadal will be number one and leader, but he will be accompanied by two good squires such as Roberto Bautista (13 in the world), number two for singles, and Pablo Carreño (16), alternative for both singles and doubles, a specialty where he resides the only novelty with Marcel Granollers occupying the place of Feliciano López.
A powerful quartet, with three tennis players in the ‘Top 20’, something that none of the other eleven teams competing in this tournament can boast that not only serves as a prelude for the big names to debut the campaign but also as a start At the end of the Australian Open, the first ‘Grand Slam’ of the campaign that will begin on February 8.
Nadal, who arrives with the ‘warm-up’ of the exhibition that he beat the Austrian Dominic Thiem (7-5, 6-4) on Friday in Adelaide, will be one of those looking for that momentum for next week on the same stage that hosts this ATP Cup, which in 2020 was held in three different cities (Brisbane, Perth and Sydney).
Last year, the manacorí scored at a good level, although he conceded two defeats in singles, against Belgian David Goffin in the quarterfinals and in the final against Djokovic. On the other hand, Bautista signed a full of victories and without giving up a set, although his competitive rhythm remains to be seen since he has not played since October.
Spain is in Group B where it will debut this Tuesday against its main rival, host Australia, whom it defeated last year in the semifinals, although this time Nick Kyrgios will not be there.
This may somewhat diminish the potential of those from Lleyton Hewitt with the pair formed by Alex de Miñaur, winner this year already in Antalya (Turkey), and John Millman. Later, Spain will face Greece on Thursday, with an always attractive duel between Rafa Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Only the first of each group goes to the semifinals.
“It’s going to be a tough battle. We played last year against Australia, they are playing at home and have the support of the public, but we are very excited to be here. Spain is a country that loves to play as a team and we have this culture since we were young. The ATP Cup is a team competition in which you play for your country and I think it’s a great experience for everyone, “said Pepe Vendrell, Bautista’s coach who will act as captain.
In addition to Nadal and Tsitsipas, Melbourne will not miss Novak Djokovic, Austrian Dominic Thiem, Russian Daniil Medvedev and German Alexander Zverev, in search of leading their respective countries to the first major title of the year.
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