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BORJA GUTIÉRREZ
MALAGA.
Friday, 4 March 2022, 11:15
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The Spanish tennis team has settled in Marbella as they start their Davis Cup qualifier against Romania today and tomorrow (4 and 5 March) at Puente Romano's central court. Roberto Bautista won the first game 2-0, and will be followed by Carlos Alcaraz's game in the afternoon.
Bautista (world number 15), Pablo Carreño (16), Alcaraz (19) and Andalusian Alejandro Davidovich (43) are working at their maximum under coach Sergi Bruguera, with Pedro Martínez (50) joining the group as Marcel Granollers' replacement.
Martínez will join his teammates on a high, as he has just won his maiden ATP Tour, finishing first in the Chile Open and leaping into the world top 50.
In Marbella, Davis Cup debutants Davidovich and Alcaraz took to the clay court to train on Monday. Davidovich, who will be playing on home soil, hadn't been guaranteed participation in these qualifiers, but will play alongside Pablo Martínez in Saturday's doubles game.
It was the next step the Andalusian was expected to take following the Sydney ATP Cup and his early exit from the Dubai Open, which marked the end of the hard court pre-season.
Alcaraz arrives in Andalucía in good form, with an ATP 500 win in Rio de Janeiro under his belt. He will play in today's second singles game immediately after Spain's opener, which Roberto Bautista won. They will both also play in the second round of singles games following Saturday's doubles.
Because Spain failed to defend their 2019 Davis Cup win last year, they first need to go through a round of qualifiers to confirm their participation in the group stages later on in September.
Romania, who in theory should be easy to beat, have been in Marbella all week. They don't have the quality of the Spaniards, with only one of their players, Marius Copil, inside the world top 300. Horia Tecau, who in 2015 was the doubles world number two, has come out of retirement to take part.
The qualifier games in the new Davis Cup format is a best of three and it means that at least four games must be played: two singles matches on day one while day two will hold a doubles game and another singles, as well as an optional fifth match if the teams agree to it.
The twelve qualifier winners will then go to the finals group stages in September and will join Russia and Croatia (last year's winner and runner-up), as well as the United Kingdom and Serbia (wild cards).
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