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Spanish Davis Cup coach mum on team selection till last minute
Melbourne, Nov 27: Spanish players yesterday received a welcome dose of video inspiration for the weekend Davis Cup final as family, friends, colleagues and coaches wished the players well for the looming clash with Australia.
Melbourne, Nov 27: Spanish players yesterday received a welcome dose of video inspiration for the weekend Davis Cup final as family, friends, colleagues and coaches wished the players well for the looming clash with Australia.
Team members watched the 15-minute message in their hotel before training continued for the fifth-ever meeting between the nations.
Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Moya, Feliciano Lopez and Alex Corretja can use all the encouragement they can get as they face off on grass against the 27-time champion Australians.
Included in the well-wishers was 2002 French Open champion Albert Costa, who was left off the squad in favour of new cap Lopez, who can boast a pair of fourth-round Wimbledon grass-court appearances.
A good sport as always, Costa named off the team members, pausing theatrically as he ''struggled'' to remember the name of Lopez.
Player Roberto Carretero congratulated world No. 7 Moya for his fine form on grass - but during soccer matches, not tennis.
Included among the video well-wishers from back home were Jose Luis Arilla, a television commentator and former player, ex-coach of Felix Mantilla Jordi Vilaro and former Spanish captain Eduardo Duarte.
Spain will be hoping to take inspiration from the messages during the final two days of training before opening singles on friday at Rod Laver Arena.
The Spaniards took the first training turn on the specially-laid grass court yesterday before turning the facility over to the hosts for an afternoon training session.
Visiting captain Jordi Arresi is keeping his team selection to himself after informing only the players of his exact choices. But he won't be letting Australia know until the very last minute at today's draw ceremony.
''I don't give you ideas for the team,'' said Arresi. ''It's a secret for the moment, we'll give our ideas on Thursday.''
The captain added: ''We're prepared to play all matches and we know that Corretja and Feliciano will play doubles on Saturday. But we have many options for singles play.
Bureau Report
Team members watched the 15-minute message in their hotel before training continued for the fifth-ever meeting between the nations.
Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Moya, Feliciano Lopez and Alex Corretja can use all the encouragement they can get as they face off on grass against the 27-time champion Australians.
Included in the well-wishers was 2002 French Open champion Albert Costa, who was left off the squad in favour of new cap Lopez, who can boast a pair of fourth-round Wimbledon grass-court appearances.
A good sport as always, Costa named off the team members, pausing theatrically as he ''struggled'' to remember the name of Lopez.
Player Roberto Carretero congratulated world No. 7 Moya for his fine form on grass - but during soccer matches, not tennis.
Included among the video well-wishers from back home were Jose Luis Arilla, a television commentator and former player, ex-coach of Felix Mantilla Jordi Vilaro and former Spanish captain Eduardo Duarte.
Spain will be hoping to take inspiration from the messages during the final two days of training before opening singles on friday at Rod Laver Arena.
The Spaniards took the first training turn on the specially-laid grass court yesterday before turning the facility over to the hosts for an afternoon training session.
Visiting captain Jordi Arresi is keeping his team selection to himself after informing only the players of his exact choices. But he won't be letting Australia know until the very last minute at today's draw ceremony.
''I don't give you ideas for the team,'' said Arresi. ''It's a secret for the moment, we'll give our ideas on Thursday.''
The captain added: ''We're prepared to play all matches and we know that Corretja and Feliciano will play doubles on Saturday. But we have many options for singles play.
Bureau Report