Spain and Argentina are in action in the 2011 Davis Cup final this weekend with Rafa Nadal's side looking to win the title for the fifth time.
The Davis Cup is a bit of a sensitive subject for Argentine tennis fans as their country have been the competition's perennial bridesmaids over the past three decades. Despite producing a string of Grand Slam winners, they've never been able to go all the way.
The two countries met in the final three years ago. With home advantage and an in-form Juan Martin Del Potro, Argentina were strong favourites but despite missing Nadal, Spain came through for an unlikely 3-1 win.
Captain Tito Vasquez insists his players are ready to banish the ghosts of 2008. “All the players have been making a big effort over the last three weeks,” Vazquez said. “They have sacrificed their normal schedule and devoted energy to this tie. I’m very proud of them. This is the best group we have in Argentina. The five players here are the five I want to have.”
“I wasn’t there (in 2008) but I know we were very disappointed, very sad, as that was our chance. Nadal wasn’t in the team, that was our surface and the right surface to beat them. It was a very close tie, it could be one point here one point there. In the doubles they had a set point, del Potro was injured, a few things happened. We hope that the things that happened there will do us favours in this final.”
Spain are strong favourites this time round with the tie being held in Seville's Olympic Stadium. Nadal and David Ferrer lead their side and they have the vastly experienced duo of Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez for the doubles.
However as we've seen so many times in this competition, in Davis Cup, anything can happen.
