ARTICLE Top Spot in ITF Davis Cup Nations Ranking at Stake -- Spanish singles speculation...
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Meanwhile speculation is rife, particularly amongst the Spanish press corps here in Melbourne, that Feliciano Lopez will indeed come in to play singles on Friday - but in place of Juan Carlos Ferrero, not Carlos Moya. Ferrero has not played well recently, losing all three of his matches at the Tennis Masters Cup in Houston two weeks ago, and missed the chance to end the year as World No. 1. He is also said to be suffering from sinusitis, and wore an ankle brace on his right leg in practice on Wednesday. He has also seemed more relaxed than usual this week, which some have taken as a sign that he will not be playing singles, at least on Friday.
All that said, Ferrero is still ranked third in the world, played well on grass at Wimbledon this year to reach the round of 16, and did spend Wednesday practising singles with Carlos Moya, while Lopez and Alex Corretja - already confirmed by Captain Jordi Arrese as his doubles pairing - went through their doubles paces.
If the Spanish did nominate Lopez instead of Ferrero, then Moya would be promoted to Spanish No. 1 - thereby ensuring he would face Lleytton Hewitt, the Australian No. 2, on Friday. Moya has a 5-3 head to head record against Hewitt, and although they have never met on grass, Moya has won four of their last five meetings. Hewitt's lone success in those clashes came in their last match, on clay at this year's World Team Cup (coincidentally their only previous meeting in a team competition).
Lopez, as Spanish No. 2, would therefore face Mark Philippoussis on Friday. They have only met twice, both this year on hard court, and have won one apiece. But Lopez's victory was in their last match, just a few weeks ago at the Tennis Masters Series event in Madrid, and Lopez's celebrations after that match are said to have angered the big Australian.
Despite all of this, as the Australians said yesterday, it would be a 'big call' to leave out either Moya or Ferrero, both former World No. 1s and Grand Slam Champions who finished in the top eight this year, in favour of a man who has never played Davis Cup before.
The bottom line is that only the Spanish know what they have decided their line-up will be, which is exactly how they want it, while the Australians are happy for everyone to know that they will be going with Philippoussis and Hewitt in singles, and - in all likelihood - Woodbridge and Arthurs in doubles.
The rest of the world only has to wait until the draw ceremony at 10:00 hrs local time (23:00 GMT Wednesday) to find out exactly who will play in the tie. Check back here at Daviscup.com for the latest news on that draw.
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Torture. Praying JC is well and that he will indeed play singles Friday. ^^
