Argentina will play the Finals again Davis cup after two years and you already know what your route will be in the group stage of Manchesterin which he will seek to classify himself to the playoffs that will define the champion of this edition in November.
The albiceleste team will debut against Canada on Tuesday, September 10, in the duel that will open the Group D in it AO Arenfrom that British city. On Friday the 13th they will face the local team and on Saturday the 14th they will close against Finland. All matches will be played at 9 in Argentina.
Those led by Guillermo Coria They earned a place in the group stage by beating Kazakhstan in the series of Qualifiers which was disputed in Rosario, which he had arrived as a wide favorite, with three singles in the top 30 and a consolidated doubles and in a great moment. But in the Jockey Club of the city of Santa Fe, suffered more than necessary, were on the brink of defeat several times and ended up sealing victory in the tie break of the last game of the fifth point.
On the first day, Francisco Cerúndolo (then 22nd in the world) opened with a 7-5 and 6-2 against Dmitry Popko (338°) y Tomas Etcheverry (28th) fell 64 and 7-5 against Timofel Skatov (278°). Maximo Gonzalez y Andres Molteni13th in the doubles ranking, had to work hard to tip the balance in favor of the Albiceleste team in the doubles that they beat Popko and 6-7 (3-7), 6-4 and 6-0. Aleksandr Nedovyesov at the start of the second day of competition. Skatov then surprised Cerúndolo, beating him 7-6 (7-1) and 6-4. AND Sebastian Baez (25th) walked along the ledge against Popko in the last point before signing an agonizing victory 6-4, 3-6 and 7-6 (8-6).
The victory allowed Argentina to get among the 16 best in the competition and get a ticket to the Finals, which they had played for the last time in 2022. On that occasion they traveled to Bolognawhere they had three defeats against Sweden, Italia y Croatia.
Last year, he lost to Finland the Qualifiers in Espoo and had to play for permanence in September. And he avoided relegation by defeating with authority Lithuania in it Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis.
The only time the blue and white team played in the playoffs was in 2019, in the first edition of the new format introduced by the group. Kosmos lead by Gerard Piqué. Argentina, champion in 2016, received a special invitation and entered directly to the quarterfinals, in which they lost with Spain.
How is your record against the three rivals you will face in Manchester? Against Canada, which defeated in February South Korea In Montreal without its best players, the Argentine team is 2-1 up, although the last match was 23 years ago, in the semi-finals of the American Zone in Córdoba, with a local victory.
With Great Britain, which received a wild card For the group stage, the advantage in favor of the national team is greater: 4-1. And the most recent precedent is still fresh in memory: it was that victory in Glasgow in the 2016 World Group semi-finals, the year of the historic consecration.
And with Finland, which defeated Portugal not Turku con Emil Ruusuvuori at the head, the head to head is tied. Argentina won the first series they played in 1960 in Helsinki. And the Scandinavians, the second, last year in Espoo.
“We are happy, satisfied; You had to avoid traveling to China. We are going to play in Manchester, a beautiful city, where we are going to face three tough countries, with several players who play well in singles and doubles. In this instance, everyone is very tough,” Guillermo Coria had commented shortly after the group draw held a little less than a month ago.
Bologna, Valencia y Zhuhai They will be the headquarters of the other three groups of this stage.
In the Italian city, for A, the local team, defending champions, the Netherlands, Belgium and Brazil will play. In Spain, for B, the home team, Australia, runner-up last year, France and the Czech Republic, a very tough area. And in Asian territory, through C, China, Germany, Slovakia and the United States.
The first two from each zone will advance to the final phase, which will be held from November 19 to 24 in Malaga.