UPDATE ON DC!! Change in the order of play of Davis Cup World Group 2004 - Quarterfinal: Spain vs Netherlands
Dutch Opt for Sluiter Instead of Schalken
The draw for the Spain v Netherlands Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Quarterfinal in Mallorca has now been made, and is as follows:
R1 - C.MOYA (ESP) vs M.VERKERK (NED)
R2 - J.FERRERO (ESP) vs R.SLUITER (NED)
R3 - R.NADAL / T.ROBREDO (ESP) vs J.VAN LOTTUM / M.VERKERK (NED)
R4 - J.FERRERO (ESP) vs M.VERKERK (NED)
R5 - C.MOYA (ESP) vs R.SLUITER (NED)
This weekend Spain and the Netherlands go head-to-head in the quarterfinals of Davis Cup by BNP Paribas, in Mallorca. The two nations are playing each other for the eighth time in a history that dates back to their first clash in 1923. This year marks Spain’s twentieth year in the World Group, while for the Netherlands it is the fourteenth. But despite their consistent appearances, between them they have only one Davis Cup title, in 2000 when Spain triumphed over Australia. With this history in mind, the tie is set to be one of the toughest quarterfinal clashes in this round, with both nations hungry to push on to the semifinals and beyond.
The host nation has laid their favourite red clay surface in the Plaza de Toros "Coliseo", a stadium most famous for its bullfights. Built in 1906, the open air, coliseum-like stadium holds around 8,000 spectators on its concrete steps and is set in Mallorca’s capital, Palma. Palma is a lively cosmopolitan city in true Spanish tradition and despite the invasion of foreign tourists it has kept its local flavour.
For Nadal and fellow Majorcan Moya, Palma is no doubt a special place, but the Bull Ring in Palma also holds sentimental value for Ferrero who won his first ATP tournament – the Mallorca Open here in 1999. “It’s great to be back, it brings back some special memories, winning my first ATP title here was special. Obviously I am keen to enjoy similar success this time around with the team.”
Spain have a 5-2 lead over the Dutch in clashes to date and are going in to the tie as favourites having recalled big guns Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya. Ferrero and Moya both missed Spain's opening round win over the Czech Republic through injury, but were successfully replaced by 17-year-old Rafael Nadal and Feliciano Lopez. Nadal, who was the hero of the tie after scoring victory in the decisive rubber has kept his place, but Lopez and Alberto Martin have had to make way for the return of Ferrero and Moya, who are currently ranked No. 3 and No. 7 in the world respectively.
Despite Spain’s superiority over the Netherlands on paper, the Dutch side still has good reason to go into the tie with confidence as Netherlands has won the last two clashes against the Spanish team. The most recent and the most painful came in 2001 when the Netherlands knocked the then-defending champions out in the first round. The visiting nation is without Davis Cup veteran Paul Haarhuis, who retired from tennis after injuring his shoulder in the first round, but it has opened the door for John Van Lottum to step back on the doubles court with Martin Verkerk. The Netherlands are an experienced Davis Cup side, with Sjeng Schalken and Martin Verkerk ranked in the top 20, and Sluiter who seems to raise his game in Davis Cup.
The weekend opens with 1998 Roland Garros winner Moya, playing Verkerk followed by reigning Roland Garros champion Ferrero taking on Sluiter. The doubles rubber on the Saturday has Robredo and Nadal facing Verkerk and Lottum. The final day’s reverse singles pits Ferrero against Verkerk first up, with Moya and Sluiter rounding off the tie.
Dutch Captain, Tjerk Bogtstra commented on his some what surprise decision not to play his top ranked player Schalken in the singles rubbers and alluded to the fact that there may be more changes to come from the Dutch team.
“Sjeng is not really to play tomorrow so that is actually the biggest reason to let Raemon. I am looking forward to it because Raemon has a lot of confidence, he has already played against Ferrero a few times and he knows the player well.”
“Sjeng is not injured, he just feels that his game is not ready yet to play at his highest level which is needed to be good enough against these guys. We talked this week and I saw in his practice that he hasn’t reached this level yet, but maybe he does on Sunday, maybe we can change some things.”
Asked of the chances of Dutch victory Tjerk responded, ”We have to do something very special and special means that we have to play a little bit above our level. We all know that Spain has the best clay court players in the world. We are the underdogs and that is a good feeling, we have nothing to lose here.”
Ferrero, who has missed this year’s two opening ATP Masters tournaments with chickenpox has cast aside fears that he may not be ready for the tie “I’ve been training hard for the past two weeks and I feel good, the courts here in Palma feel good and I feel good physically. I am ready for this tie and hope I can help the team.”
taken from Official Davis Cup website
Head to Head Update on the match preview
Juan Carlos Ferrero vs. Raemon Sluiter 1-2
Juan Carlos Ferrero vs. Martin Verkerk 2-0
Carlos Moya vs. Raemon Sluiter 1-0
Carlos Moya vs. Martin Verkerk 0-1
Dutch Opt for Sluiter Instead of Schalken
The draw for the Spain v Netherlands Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Quarterfinal in Mallorca has now been made, and is as follows:
R1 - C.MOYA (ESP) vs M.VERKERK (NED)
R2 - J.FERRERO (ESP) vs R.SLUITER (NED)
R3 - R.NADAL / T.ROBREDO (ESP) vs J.VAN LOTTUM / M.VERKERK (NED)
R4 - J.FERRERO (ESP) vs M.VERKERK (NED)
R5 - C.MOYA (ESP) vs R.SLUITER (NED)
This weekend Spain and the Netherlands go head-to-head in the quarterfinals of Davis Cup by BNP Paribas, in Mallorca. The two nations are playing each other for the eighth time in a history that dates back to their first clash in 1923. This year marks Spain’s twentieth year in the World Group, while for the Netherlands it is the fourteenth. But despite their consistent appearances, between them they have only one Davis Cup title, in 2000 when Spain triumphed over Australia. With this history in mind, the tie is set to be one of the toughest quarterfinal clashes in this round, with both nations hungry to push on to the semifinals and beyond.
The host nation has laid their favourite red clay surface in the Plaza de Toros "Coliseo", a stadium most famous for its bullfights. Built in 1906, the open air, coliseum-like stadium holds around 8,000 spectators on its concrete steps and is set in Mallorca’s capital, Palma. Palma is a lively cosmopolitan city in true Spanish tradition and despite the invasion of foreign tourists it has kept its local flavour.
For Nadal and fellow Majorcan Moya, Palma is no doubt a special place, but the Bull Ring in Palma also holds sentimental value for Ferrero who won his first ATP tournament – the Mallorca Open here in 1999. “It’s great to be back, it brings back some special memories, winning my first ATP title here was special. Obviously I am keen to enjoy similar success this time around with the team.”
Spain have a 5-2 lead over the Dutch in clashes to date and are going in to the tie as favourites having recalled big guns Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya. Ferrero and Moya both missed Spain's opening round win over the Czech Republic through injury, but were successfully replaced by 17-year-old Rafael Nadal and Feliciano Lopez. Nadal, who was the hero of the tie after scoring victory in the decisive rubber has kept his place, but Lopez and Alberto Martin have had to make way for the return of Ferrero and Moya, who are currently ranked No. 3 and No. 7 in the world respectively.
Despite Spain’s superiority over the Netherlands on paper, the Dutch side still has good reason to go into the tie with confidence as Netherlands has won the last two clashes against the Spanish team. The most recent and the most painful came in 2001 when the Netherlands knocked the then-defending champions out in the first round. The visiting nation is without Davis Cup veteran Paul Haarhuis, who retired from tennis after injuring his shoulder in the first round, but it has opened the door for John Van Lottum to step back on the doubles court with Martin Verkerk. The Netherlands are an experienced Davis Cup side, with Sjeng Schalken and Martin Verkerk ranked in the top 20, and Sluiter who seems to raise his game in Davis Cup.
The weekend opens with 1998 Roland Garros winner Moya, playing Verkerk followed by reigning Roland Garros champion Ferrero taking on Sluiter. The doubles rubber on the Saturday has Robredo and Nadal facing Verkerk and Lottum. The final day’s reverse singles pits Ferrero against Verkerk first up, with Moya and Sluiter rounding off the tie.
Dutch Captain, Tjerk Bogtstra commented on his some what surprise decision not to play his top ranked player Schalken in the singles rubbers and alluded to the fact that there may be more changes to come from the Dutch team.
“Sjeng is not really to play tomorrow so that is actually the biggest reason to let Raemon. I am looking forward to it because Raemon has a lot of confidence, he has already played against Ferrero a few times and he knows the player well.”
“Sjeng is not injured, he just feels that his game is not ready yet to play at his highest level which is needed to be good enough against these guys. We talked this week and I saw in his practice that he hasn’t reached this level yet, but maybe he does on Sunday, maybe we can change some things.”
Asked of the chances of Dutch victory Tjerk responded, ”We have to do something very special and special means that we have to play a little bit above our level. We all know that Spain has the best clay court players in the world. We are the underdogs and that is a good feeling, we have nothing to lose here.”
Ferrero, who has missed this year’s two opening ATP Masters tournaments with chickenpox has cast aside fears that he may not be ready for the tie “I’ve been training hard for the past two weeks and I feel good, the courts here in Palma feel good and I feel good physically. I am ready for this tie and hope I can help the team.”
taken from Official Davis Cup website
Head to Head Update on the match preview
Juan Carlos Ferrero vs. Raemon Sluiter 1-2
Juan Carlos Ferrero vs. Martin Verkerk 2-0
Carlos Moya vs. Raemon Sluiter 1-0
Carlos Moya vs. Martin Verkerk 0-1
