Playing For History

One week from now on an indoor court in Moscow, four Argentines, will be playing to create history for their nation. The prize is the Davis Cup. The mission is to beat arguably the strongest mens tennis nation at present on their home patch. Whether Russia really are the best all round team in tennis is arguable, Sports Magician believes they are, and the task infront of Argentina is a great challenge, but a challenge that they are capable of conquering.

Even in the days of Guillermo Vilas and Jose-Luis Clerc, Argentina were never able to win the Davis Cup. The closest they came was a final defeat to the USA in Cincinnati in 1981. It has taken 25 years for Argentina to get that close again, and once more a difficult tie away from home awaits them in their pursuit of history. However, this isn't just about 2006 for this current generation of Argentine players. This has been a project that has been building and building for the past 4 years, an effort that is about far more than just the four players who will make up the official Davis Cup final squad (David Nalbandian, Jose Acasuso, Agustin Calleri & Juan Ignacio Chela). To understand the struggle of the current generation in their collective pursuit to bring Argentina glory in the Davis Cup, we have to go back to 2002 at the very least, to examine what went before and those who played their part.

After years of struggling to gain a foothold back in the World Group, Argentina finally started making some noise in 2002. 2001 had seen crushing victories over Mexico, Canada and Belarus (all 5-0) in order for Argentina to take up their place in the World Group for 2002. Captained by Franco Davin, a variety of players were involved in getting Argentina to the World Group, Gaston Gaudio, Guillermo Canas, Agustin Calleri and Franco Squillari had been responsible for the bulk of the work. By the time the World Group in 2002 was upon them, Argentina had a new Captain, Alejandro Gattiker. A team of Gaudio, Canas, Chela and Lucas Arnold strolled past a Lleyton Hewitt-less (more of him later) Australia in Argentina, 5-0. The team was beginning to create an aura at home, despite not yet coming up against classy opposition, the foundations were being built to make Argentina on clay, a tough proposition for any side.

Davis Cup is the coming together of Sports Magician's most beloved sports. It's tennis but with football atmosphere. Every point is celebrated like a goal in a Superclasico. Players often produce performances far and above what they are believed to be capable of on the grind of the ATP Tour. Davis Cup can make and break careers (ask Rafael Nadal and Paul-Henri Mathieu), players no longer play for themselves. On the tour you may see David Nalbandian from Argentina, but when it's Davis Cup, it's Argentina's David Nalbandian. One cause, one goal, unites players of differing personality and expectations.

Argentina's run in 2002 continued with a 3-2 home success against Croatia. Using the same squad from the first round, it came down to a 5th rubber, where Gaston Gaudio put Ivo Karlovic to the sword. Croatia had made it surprisingly difficult for Argentina, but the test was ultimately passed. No side would come as close to topping Argentina in Buenos Aires since that weekend.

That victory set up a semi final in Moscow against the Russians. By now a new name was on the scene, Wimbledon finalist, David Nalbandian. Nalbandian's introduction to Davis Cup in Russia was extraordinary. The story will be complete if he can lead Argentina to the trophy in the same country where he made his spectacular debut. Trailing 2-0 after a couple of tough singles losses on the friday, suffered by Chela and Gaudio, the doubles team of Nalbandian & Arnold attempted to keep Argentina alive. Taking the first two sets 6-4 had them well on the way, losing the following two meant the situation was once again precarious. 36 (that's THIRTY-SIX) games later, Nalbandian & Arnold had pulled off an epic 19-17 5th set victory over Safin & Kafelnikov in more than six hours of play.

Anyone for tennis?

You can imagine what might have been going through Marat Safin's mind at the thought of such a question having spent hours on court in vain. Safin and Nalbandian returned the next day, and after splitting two tie-break sets, Safin, the more experienced player at the time and with the adrenalin of the home support was able to squeeze out Nalbandian's resistance relatively comfortably in the end. 2002 had been a success for Argentina, they had established themselves amongst the elite and their time would surely come.

2003 began in the same way as 2002, with a new man at the helm, this time, Gustavo Luza. The same team that finished off 2002, kicked off the 2003 campaign with what was now becoming a routine 5-0 home victory, this time over Germany. A rematch with Russia was to follow, but this time in Argentina. Revenge was sweet, another 5-0 victory over a squad consisting of Safin, Kafelnikov, Davydenko & Youzhny (all but the retired Kafelnikov are in the Russia squad for the 2006 final). Argentina had not just gained a measure of revenge, but had destroyed the 2002 champions, the rest of the world sat up and took notice. A mouth watering semi final in Spain had been set up. Argentina hoping to call on the likes of Guillermo Coria, David Nalbandian and Guillermo Canas looked very strong and had to be to have a chance of topping Spain, then led by King of Clay, Juan Carlos Ferrero, with the able assistance of Carlos Moya.

Injuries meant Argentina turned up in Malaga without any of the names mentioned, and little hope too. Davis Cup is never that simple. Although Ferrero made it look simple enough, slaughtering Gaudio for the loss of just 4 games. Moya turned around a match against a cramping Mariano Zabaleta, and Argentina were in Moscow all over again, 2-0 down on opening day. And yet again, it was a heroic doubles performance that kept them alive, Arnold was involved again, but it was Agustin Calleri who stole the show. It looked like the inevitable had been delayed, but Calleri had not yet finished with his fireworks. On the Sunday, infront of a disbelieving Spanish crowd and a jubilant Argentine one, Calleri fired winner after winner past Juan Carlos Ferrero, the Spaniard has never been the same since due to a series of injuries and illnesses, but his perplexed expression that day as he was obliterated was an image his fans would become used to seeing over the coming years.

Argentina were on the verge on an incredible comeback, down 2-0 in Spain without what many considered their best players, a 5-0 defeat seemed like a good result on the friday evening! It was left to Gaudio to complete the comeback, but he was not up to the task, a soul less display resulted in a similar beating to the one he had been given by Ferrero, this time by Moya. Gaudio bore the brunt of the critics back home in Argentina. He would later have his moment in the sun by winning Roland Garros the next year, beating Guillermo Coria in a drama filled finale as Coria failed to cope with fulfilling his dream at the Mecca of clay court tennis. As far as Davis Cup was concerned though, Gaudio's reputation as a player who could produce the goods at home but not away were becoming more concrete.

If 2002 was a learning experience, 2003 was an Argentina that showed the strength of depth that would mark them out as a force for years to come. 2004 would be that year maybe? Luza was still in charge as the 2004 tournament got underway, and a 5-0 away win in Morocco was achieved. Guillermo Coria made his Davis Cup debut, winning both his singles as easily as had been expected. Trouble was around the corner, a breakdown in relationships and an increase in politics resulted in a humiliating 5-0 defeat on an ice rink in Belarus. The players wanted Luza ousted, and they would get their way. The 2004 campaign had turned into a disaster, and having become accustomed to the last four, Argentina fans were not impressed by a second round exit, especially the manner in which it came.

The players wanted Alberto Mancini, and they got their man. In 2005, Argentina kicked off with a very strong looking side of Nalbandian, Coria, Canas and Calleri. The Czech Republic were dismissed 5-0 in Argentina (I didn't need to tell you that, did I?). A difficult challenge lay ahead in the second round, having to travel to Australia and play on grass with Hewitt leading the Aussies. Lleyton Hewitt and his relationship with a number of Argentinian players is well documented, and Sports Magician won't revisit the history at this moment, suffice to say it was a match that was 'personal'. Coria and Hewitt kicked off the tie with an ill-tempered affair. Insults and gestures were exchanged on both sides, it didn't help matters that a section of the Aussie support (the 'fanatics') chose to wear t-shirts that depicted Guillermo Canas inserting needles into his arm (a reference to Canas being cited for doping, a suspension that would later be reduced on appeal as Canas was the victim of ATP incompetence).

The tie had turned into an all out war of words by the time the doubles began with the match balanced at 1-1. Nalbandian and Mariano Puerta (amidst rumours that the French Open finalist had also failed a dope test) claimed a straight sets win, and Argentina were on the verge of a great away victory. Three years after Hewitt had destroyed an inexperienced David Nalbandian in the Wimbledon final, Nalbandian showed Hewitt just how much he had grown up by crushing the Aussie on his home turf and securing Argentina's passage into their third Davis Cup semi-final in four years. Nalbandian wasn't slow to lead the chants against Hewitt following the match either, as the Argentina players celebrated with the small band of Argentina fans who stayed behind to celebrate as the 'fanatics' went home weeping, drying their eyes with the Canas t-shirts they had worn in defeat.

Argentina had proven they could win away from home against tough opposition, and if Nalbandian hadn't already established himself as the leader of the gang, then by the time the tie in Sydney was complete, he had done. Emphatically. Slovakia would be the opponents in the last four, and again Argentina would be on their travels. Spoilt for choice in terms of rankings, Mancini called on Nalbandian, Coria, Gaudio and Puerta (all 4 would be present at the Masters Cup that year, Nalbandian would go on to win the tournament). Rumours of unrest were rife as Coria and Gaudio wrote another chapter in their frosty relationship. Coria had more problems to contend with than another war of words with Gaudio - he couldn't serve. He lost both of his matches without ever looking like he could pull off a win, and this time Nalbandian could not produce the heroics he had done in Sydney. He won his singles on the friday, but he and Puerta lost the doubles, and with no assistance from Coria, Argentina were out again before the final. Another year where Argentina cursed the fact that their semi-final had to be played away from home. The only consolation being that the 2006 draw gave Argentina hope of having the possibility of a home semi-final, should they make it that far again.

Through suspensions handed out to Canas and Puerta, as well as struggles with form and mentality that Coria and Gaudio were suffering from, Argentina no longer looked the deep team they had in previous years. 2006 has been a largely poor year from individuals, but ironically, at a time when the players have not been winning titles regularly on tour, Argentina's Davis Cup dreams have taken a turn for the better. Still under Mancini's guidance, Argentina have kept the same squad all season. The team ably led by Nalbandian, with Acasuso, Calleri and Chela contributing in ways that they can. None of those three have hit the heights that Coria, Gaudio, Canas and Puerta have between them, which include - winning a Slam, playing in a Slam final, winning Masters events and playing at the Masters Cup. However, strength has been found in a united squad. Acasuso made a fantastic debut in Davis Cup as Argentina recorded yet another 5-0 home win, versus Sweden. Chela would win a tension filled 5th rubber in Croatia, as Argentina knocked out the champions of the previous year. It wasn't convincing, but the job was done and Argentina finally had a home semi-final to look forward to. And not just any semi-final, Lleyton Hewitt was to bring his team to Argentina. Or was he?

Months of speculation followed, the inevitable taunts between the camps persisted. Argentina players were riled by Hewitt's accusations that his safety would be threatened should he dare turn up, in the end, Hewitt turned up and his life was never in danger. Nalbandian spoke like a man who knew what was coming and confidently predicted victory, 4-1 he claimed, like in Australia. Nalbandian was wrong, Argentina won 5-0. An out pouring of emotion followed in a rocking Parque Roca following the doubles victory that clinched the tie on the saturday. Fittingly, it was Nalbandian who hit the winning smash. For the first time in 25 years, Argentina were going to the final. In Russia against a strong side, but being in the final was better than another semi-final heartbreak.

The tie is in Nalbandian's hands, although Chela holds a dominating record over Davydenko, it's expected that if Argentina are to win the Davis Cup for the first time in their history, that Nalbandian will be the one who will have to take them there with two singles wins and most likely as half of the doubles team too. Following a recent family tragedy, Nalbandian could be forgiven for not having the right frame of mind to take up such a responsibility. History awaits four Argentines on a tennis court in Moscow.

Sports Magician will be commenting on each day's play during the Davis Cup final weekend.