Del Potro hints he might sit out final day
DAN Evans seems likely to be recalled if the Davis Cup semi-final goes to a decisive match at The Emirates Arena, but Argentina’s top player has hinted that he may not be there to face him.
Juan Martin del Potro, pictured, was the visitors’ hero on the opening day, but after his surprise appearance in the doubles he expressed concern about the risk playing three intense matches in successive days might pose to what has been his remarkable comeback after a year out of the game.
“I didn’t expect to play eight hours in two days,” he said following his defeat alongside Leonardo Mayer to the Murray brothers in the doubles.
“I’m trying to do my comeback slowly, but this weekend I made a big effort during the week. It would be a risk if I had to play another match like I played yesterday.
“I didn’t expect to play at this level so quickly. I have already beaten the top four guys in the world, but my biggest goal is to finish the season healthy. If something happens to me in this situation I will feel really, really sad. I want this to be the start of my new career, not just one more match.”
Del Potro also noted that with Andy Murray having played the same eight hours of tennis, he and his colleagues are hopeful that Guido Pella, who beat Kyle Edmund in four sets on the opening day can render such considerations irrelevant by wrapping up the tie in the first match of the final day. Meanwhile, Federico Delbonis, currently Argentina’s top player in the world rankings, has yet to play.
Murray suggested the British team has been less surprised than supporters and commentators by the change to the Argentina line-up, but said that can now work to the home team’s advantage.
“They could have finished the tie today and thought they gave themselves their best chance by playing their best player on this surface, but for us that’s now a positive,” he said. “Had they won, everyone would have thought it was a great decision, but the positive is that we won, we were on court for three hours or so and if it goes to a fifth rubber I’m sure whichever of our guys plays will be the fresher.”
Leon Smith, Britain’s captain, was meanwhile never going to show his hand ahead of today’s decisive reverse singles matches, but observations about how much Edmund will learn from Friday’s experience reinforced the impression that the more experienced Evans will get the call.