Nicolás Massú welcomes Spain with a streak that no one has been able to break
Spain is preparing these days for its next Davis Cup tie against Chile, although looking at the statistics, it seems that the biggest threat will be off the court. Do you know when was the last time Nico Massú lost a series at home?
These are days full of excitement in Santiago with both teams working hard ahead of the Davis Cup qualifiers taking place this weekend. Chile hosts a Spain team that arrives with significant absences, although the feeling is that we will see equality and excitement in each of the points.
Which team is favored? We will not fall into this trap, not at this point in the story. We know perfectly well what this competition means, how irrelevant the rankings can be, and the great surprises that have historically occurred. That said, what we also know is that the home team gets strong every time they play at home, which is why they carry a streak that allows them to dream of striking against the Spaniards and qualifying for the Final Stage.
I'll say it bluntly: Chile has not lost a home Davis Cup tie since September 2011, when Italy triumphed in Santiago. A statistic that Nicolás Massú knows perfectly well and which carries even more weight since he took over as captain. Since then, Chile has not lost any series played at home. “My priority was to put Chile among the best in the world. Now we have an opportunity to play against Spain at home, so we must seize it. It doesn't always happen that powerhouse countries come,” he explained in statements reported by EFE.
The Chilean captain also wanted to emphasize the quality of the team he will face. Although Spain will not have Alcaraz or Davidovich, Massú believes his players have enough resources to compete under different conditions. “Spanish players adapt to all surfaces, they adjust very quickly. Three are from Madrid: Dani Mérida, Martín Landaluce and Rafa Jódar. They know how to play on this surface; I have no doubt about that,” he pointed out.
The absence of Alcaraz doesn't change the challenge
Spain will approach the tie with a renewed lineup, but Massú avoids giving too much importance to the absences. “Spain is a world powerhouse, they are the reigning finalists. They have a very good team,” he reminded. The Chilean also pointed out that his team will have its own absences, including that of Nicolás Jarry, who is still recovering from a right elbow injury.
Massú confirmed that Jarry remains integrated in the group despite not competing since April. “I wanted him to train with us. He is with us and is important for the group,” he explained about the Chilean tennis player, who recently started training on the court. The captain also highlighted the situation of Cristian Garín, who arrived with some physical limitations but is working with the team. “Garín, who also arrived with physical limitations, is training well, and that gives me peace of mind,” he commented.
With Alejandro Tabilo, Garín, Tomás Barrios, and Matías Soto on the roster, Chile will face a tie marked by home advantage, clay courts, and an atmosphere that Massú considers crucial. “All Davis Cups are important; every series here is taken very seriously. Since I became captain, we have never lost at home,” stated the former world number 9.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Nicolás Massú recibe a España con una racha que nadie ha podido romper