Places in Davis Cup semifinals are up for grab this week-end.

France vs Spain:

France selected a fast indoor hard court to receive 2009 Davis Cup champion Spain. But spanish players proved they can play well on any surface and are confident they can qualify even without their best player, Rafael Nadal.
The recent Wimbledon champion is having a treatment on his right knee, the same treatement he had earlier this year on his left knee, in an effort to make sure the on-going problems he has suffered the last three years are just bad memories.
France will also be without its best player, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who has pulled out this Davis Cup quarterfinal with a left knee injury.. Richard Gasquet, who had been selected as an alternate, has also been ruled out, because of back pain.

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During the Davis Cup final last year, Adidas had a campaign featuring Fernando Verdasco, and some players of La Roja, the Spanish national football team.

I guess tonight Verdasco, Nadal and co will all be in front of their TV to watch the World Cup semifinal between Spain and Germany.

And in case you were wondering what Verdasco was up to after his defeat in Wimbledon… he was on vacation with his boyfriend Feliciano Lopez in Ibiza.

Probably the match which really launched Nadal’s pro career.

Playing his first full season on the ATP Tour, Nadal won his first title in Sopot, Poland and was one of only four players to beat Roger Federer.
He made his Davis Cup debut in the first round of Davis Cup 2004 against Czech Republic, losing the first match against Jiri Novak but winning the decisive fifth rubber against Radek Stepanek and qualifying Spain for the quarterfinals.
Nadal was decisive once against in semi vs France: he beat the pair Clement/Llodra partnering Tommy Robredo, and he replaced Moya for the reverse singles and beat Arnaud Clement to clinch Spain’s victory.

Spain (Ferrero, Moya, Nadal and Robredo) faced the USA (Roddick, Fish, Bryans) in final on the red clay of Seville.
98 Roland Garros champion Carlos Moya defeated Mardy Fish in straight sets in the opening rubber.

The lowest ranked Spaniard (n°51), Nadal had only been expected to play the doubles alongside Tommy Robredo but he was named to replace Ferrero in singles.
2004 was a nightmare season for’03 FO champion Juan Carlos Ferrero: despite making the Oz Open semies, his ranking dropped from third to 31st. He didn’t win any title that year and finally, he was overlooked in favour of the 18-year-old Mallorcan.

Arrese’s decision proved to be the right one as Nadal beat world number two Andy Roddick 6-7(6) 6-2 7-6(6) 6-2. It was the second meeting between those two as Roddick won easily 3 months earlier in the second round of the US Open.

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First “I was there” story: Ludo at the Sanchez-Casal academy.

I went to the Sanchez Casal and stayed there for 2 years for different reasons.

The first one is because the academy is in Barcelona, Spain, which is not only a very sunny city which allows you to train outside during the whole year, but it is also a very nice and pleasant city for living.
Another reason that influenced my choice was because the academy had facilities such as hard courts, clay courts, synthetic grass courts, a gym and also a swimming-pool which I can assure you it’s perfect for relaxing after a long and tough day of practice under a blazing sun).

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