Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco will lead Spain on the first day of Davis Cup playoff action against the visiting Ukraine. They are set for respective meetings with Sergiy Stakhovsky and Alexandr Dolgopolov.
Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR)
Four days after winning the U.S. Open, Nadal will be back in action for the Davis Cup World Group playoffs at home in Madrid, Spain against the Ukraine. Nadal rolled to his second triumph in New York and 13th career Grand Slam title while losing only two total sets in the process–one to Philipp Kohlschreiber in the fourth round and one to Novak Djokovic in the final. The second-ranked Spaniard is an amazing 60-3 this season with 10 titles.
Nadal will contest the second singles rubber on Friday against Stakhovsky, whom he has never faced. Stakhovsky, of course, stunned Roger Federer in the Wimbledon second round earlier this summer. However, it has been an otherwise dreadful year for the former world No. 31. He is just 9-14 at the ATP level and barely inside the Top 100 at 92nd. On anything other than clay, a few sets in this one could be competitive given Nadal’s quick turnaround after such an emotional win. Because of the surface, though, this will be an absolute romp.
Pick: Nadal in 3 losing 5-7 games
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Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs. Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)
Verdasco and Dolgopolov will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers and for the second time this season when they kick off the playoff tie on Friday afternoon. They faced each other last spring on the clay courts of Rome, where Verdasco won the first set 6-0 before Dolgopolov retired. Their most recent encounter came this summer on the grass of Eastbourne, with the Spaniard prevailing 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.
It has been an abbreviated summer for both men. Verdasco went back to clay after Wimbledon, skipped the U.S. Open Series until Winston-Salem, then lost in the first round of the U.S. Open to Ivan Dodig. The world No. 33 is a mere 22-18 for the year. Dolgopolov beat David Goffin in New York then fell in the second round to eventual quarterfinalist Mikhail Youzhny. The 40th-ranked Ukrainian is 20-21 for his 2013 campaign, including 5-7 since Wimbledon. Playing at home on clay, Verdasco should be able to take advantage of a slumping opponent despite not being in great form, himself.
Pick: Verdasco in 4
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Hope your picks come to pass Ricky and Tommy and Marc win their dubs rubber so Rafa does not have to play Sunday.
yep. unfortunate Rafa is the 4th rubber. hopefully they can win in 3.
I agree with Ricky’s picks. I was a bit undecided with Verdasco and Dolgo, simply because you never know with either one of them these days. But given that this is clay then I think Verdasco will get the win. I voted for him in four sets.
I can’t see Stak being competitive with Rafa at all. I am a bit concerned that Rafa is playing so soon after the USO final. I do hope that Rafa does not have to play again on Sunday. Things are going so well for Rafa and there is still more hard court tennis to be played this year.
Hopefully Andy Murray’s fans know that their man will also be in action tomorrow:
http://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-results/tie/details.aspx?tieId=100019834
Verdy and Dolgo are one set a piece , on serve on the 3rd but Verdy has three break points at 4-4
Verdy breaks
Monaco and Stepanek in a tiebreaker
Verdasco won – Spain vs Ukraine 1:0.
http://www.daviscup.com/en/home.aspx
Spot on pick Ricky re Fer vs Dolgo! So far so good, am sure Rafa will be chomping at the bit after that result knowing a victory by him puts them one win away from an overall win, meaning he won’t have to play on Sunday……….
Vamos!
RT @ptbodo: “This DC week is a rebuke to Roger, only one of “Big Four” to take a pass despite home tie when he’s the one could most use the easy wins.”
Yeah. I gather the rule has changed recently re: Davis Cup and qualifying for the Olympics. Roger has no choice now if he wants to go to Acspulco but to serve his country and knuckle down to DC on a regular basis.
RT @DavisCup: “US Open champion @RafaelNadal emerges into the Caja Magica to Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger (the tune from Rocky).”
Rafa still on hardcourt mode 5-0, Rafa to serve for the set.
Go Rafa, no matter what the court is, just play like you did in the Hardcourt. Good preparation for the Asian Swing LOL.
Vamos
There you go the first set 6-0.
rafa is currently riding a 22 match win streak on clay as well ! Has anyone ever held two such remarkable streaks on two surfaces in a single season ? I doubt it..
RT @SI_BTBaseline: “A fresh McBagel served up in Madrid by Rafael Nadal on Sergiy Stakhovsky. Would you like fries with that? #daviscup”
Ricky got the verdasco pick spot on..look’s like his rafa pick would be spot on too
hahah, where do you get all these tweets from RITB lol…the guys at davis cup having fun 😛
Rafa open up 2nd set with a break again. Unlike earlier at the first matcn, Alex Corr is looking so pleased ATM no pressure at all.
forehand in full flow !
@vamosrafa, the following sites have excellent Twitter updates:
http://www.thetennisspace.com/
http://www.changeovertennis.com/
http://espn.go.com/tennis/
Enjoy!
nine consecutive games for rafa… wrap this up as quickly as possible, rafa…and get some rest ! I hope spain win the doubles
ohhh gheee…stakov double faulted to get broken again at the second set 3-0. He is yet to register a score at the board. He’s being butchered by Rafa at the moment.