Davis Cup: God helps those who help themselves
Russian tennis players kept of the place in the national team in the World Group Davis Cup due to their heroic efforts.
Losing to Brazil after two days with a score of 1-2, in the end they managed to win in the five-game confrontation.
Overview by Sportbox.ru tells about turning point, rescuers of the country and the losers.
Michael Yuzhniy was the first who went to the courts of Kazan Tennis Academy.
The day before, he seemed to end his international career, and now he is again at the forefront.
In absentia of Nikolay Davydenko, the team desperately needed a leader, thus Yuzhniy returned.
In the first game, Ricardo Mello, though resisted, but he seemed not to believe in success.
Despite the devastating score (6:0, 6:2, 6:1), we can’t say that there was no fight on-court.
But the best tennis player of Russia had control over everything, and created a sense that if it smells something fishy, he will kill out any hope in the soul of the opponent.
Russia was winning, but Igor Andreev didn’t get positive energy.
Once he was the 18th world number, and now he is the 81st in the ATP ranking, he could not justify the confidence of the captain Shamil Tarpishchev.
A 28-year-old tennis player has played unstable, was unconvincing on the pitch and generally looked more like a shadow.
However, as throughout this season.
The result – obvious defeat of Brazil team’s leader Thomas Bellucci.
On Saturday there was another doubles match, and the favorites won again here.
Bruno Soares and Marcelo Melo take the 11th place in the world ranking of doubles and, as they say, they understand each other half-word.
Igor Kunitsyn and Dmitry Tursunov played together against the Argentines in 2008 for the first and last time. It was a good game.
And this time, things might have turned in their favor.
Russians were not inferior to the rivals on the pitch, and even surpassed them, their passing shot were well-done.
But well-functioning interaction between the Brazilians played a crucial role in the game at the net.
South Americans have won, and quietly went to bed before Sunday.
God helps those who help themselves, and Yuzhniy knows that.
He used to help Russia many times.
In the end, that is why he has returned – to lead the team that has ventured for the first time since 1992, say goodbye to the elite.
The best tennis player of Russia began the fourth game with Bellucci neither good nor bad.
But Yuzhniy would not have been himself, if he didn’t compose himself, and failed the match.
In the second set, he finally wound up with the help of Kazan volcanic fans.
Bellucci is a tough guy.
Russian was two draws from victory – but the Brazilian was perfect in them.
Thus an absolutely equal game of two tennis players of the same level gradually turned into a marathon.
It would be naive to hope for Yuzhniy’s physical superiority.
The Brazilians, of course, came from far away, acclimation affected them, but also traveled to Kazan, the Russians didn’t travel to Kazan from Cheboksary either – they all played on the courts of New York earlier this month.
In the 18th game, Yuzhniy played two match-balls, demonstrating his indomitable will to win.
Fortune could not fail to notice such feats, and Bellucci was broken in the 25th game. 2:2 – and it starts all over again.
Tarpishchev, analyzing the results, decided to replace the decisive game.
Dmitry Tursunov, not really tired after the doubles, appeared on the court instead of Andreev.
Joao Svetch had no alternative, there is no “second Bellucci” in his team.
So Mello, who is 120th in the ranking of ATP, went to play the last game.
The Brazilian did everything he could, fought for every ball, but he could not resist Tursunov’s powerful play during the entire match.
Russians paid out in the third set. Kazan podium with Yuzhniy shouted volcanically “Dima! Dima”, and he did not disappoint them.
In the fourth game Mello was finally defeated, together with Brazilian national team.
Thus, Russia has preserved its place in the sun.
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Posted on September 17, 2011
at 11:18 am
Written / posted by: admin
Filed under: News