by Jaume Pujol-Galceran
El Periodico
February 2, 2025

Versi�n Espa�ol

JOB SPANISH DAVIS CUP CAPTAIN
AGE 40 YEARS (BARCELONA)
ATP TITLES 6 SINGLES AND 4 DOUBLES
SILVER MEDAL IN OLYMPICS 1992 BARCELONA

The Spanish Davis Cup team traveled to Brno yesterday to play the first round in 2004 against the Czech Republic. Jordi Arrese, their captain, is looking eager and trusting to overcome the test, even though he can't count on Carlos Moy� nor mayby on Juan Carlos Ferrero, who will today undergo the test to decide whether he plays or not. [Ed. Note: Ferrero is not playing.]

--If you were in trouble before, now things get even more complicated, right?

--The first round was already difficult with Ferrero and Moy�, so now it's even more so. We are going to Brno with a rookie team, but one that is very anbitious and brave.

--You will have to put your trust in a couple of debutantes.

--That won't be a problem. The four of them are eager and terribly ambitious. That is fundamental to a team I have faith in all of them.

--Anyway, it's bad luck to lose your two best cards.

--Yes. The truth is, it has been quite a blow; although I trust that Ferrero will be well in time and can give us a hand. He is a number 1 and basic to the team. He gives us all a sense of security. He and Moy� are the team's leaders.

--Did it surprise you that Moy� did not recuperate in time?

--Yes, I didn't expect it. In Australia we thought that if they'd give him 24 hours he could play but then everything got complicated. That's how the body is and there's nothing you can do about it. Moy� tried everthing to get well. He has been infiltrated twice and he was in Barcelona with us to try and practise. You can't ask for more of him.

--Did you fall short in looking ahead?

--We've had to improvise because of the circumstances, there was nothing else we could do. You don't normally lose two players like Moy� and Ferrero in one blow.

--Do you understand Costa's point of view?

--Of course. We all understand and for that we didn't put any pressure on him to come with us. It's only human. He was very disappointed to not have been part of the Davis Cup final. We trust Albert. We are on good terms with him and he knows it. He is a great team player and a great tennis player, but he also knows that on surfaces like grass or carpet, he is not an automatic inclusion. If the tie was being played on clay or cement, Albert would have been playing for sure.

-- It is difficult to get on the team?

--It is very precious. The players know that and must understand it. Those that are in the best of forms are in. We must understand that Davis Cup is not an individual competition.

--Can you give your view on your players.

--Robredo is a very ambitious player, who knows what he wants and he works to get better. He knows what he has to work on. Nadal is an animal mentally, comparable to Hewitt. I like him cause he is very positive but at the same time realistic and he knows he still has to work hard to be at the top. Feliciano L�pez has brutal potential, but he is a bit inconsistent and you have to be on to him more. Beto Martin is a great character, a complete tennis player who will be an asset to the team.

--It won't be easy to see who will play?

--Now everything changes, including the doubles. Anyone can play and it will depend on what we see in the practises in Brno.

--With Ferrero and Moy� this tie would have been a great opportunity to show that Spain can win abroad.

--Yes. This tie was very very important to start to make people nervous and show that we can win abroad. On clay or cement we have people able to win wherever the tie, but on grass or indoors, without Ferrero and Moy�, the level goes down. Still, we have a team to win the Davis Cup. In Houston we almost did, same in Australia. We're there.

--To lose would be a disaster?

--Why? Now the Czechs are the favourites. They play at home, on carpet. But watch out, this doesn't mean that we can't beat them. We will do the best we can.

--You haven't had much time to enjoy the final?

--No, not to enjoy, nor to prepare for the way back. Those who played the final have hardly had time to rest, or to play the lead-ups and we pay for it with the injuries.