Shamil Tarpischev might enter the Guinness Book of Records in Kazan
The capital of Tatarstan will host Davis Cup match between Russia and Sweden
Davis Cup's first round between men's national teams of Russia and Sweden will be held in Kazan. The event will be held on 4-6 March in Kazan Tennis Academy. A press conference dedicated to this competition was organized on 25 February. Realnoe Vremya presents the teams and peripeteias of the match.
This time, without Yuzhny
It is not the first Davis Cup match that takes place in Kazan. National teams of Russia and Brazil met five years ago, in 2011. The host team won a victory in a tough struggle 3:2. A meeting between Mikhail Yuzhny and Thomaz Bellucci, which lasted for a long time, sticks in our mind.
This time, if Mikhail Yuzhny comes to Kazan, he will do it as spectator. Teymuraz Gabashvili (singles ranking: 44), Andrey Kuznetsov (singles ranking: 54), Yevgeny Donsky (singles ranking: 82) and Konstantin Kravchuk (singles ranking: 134) were included in the national team by the captain of the Russian team Shamil Tarpischev.
Headed by Tarpischev, Russian tennis players participated in 137 international competitions, 86 of them were victorious. Moreover, 54 wins were at the Davis Cup. Australian Nil Fraser has the same result. If the national team of Russia wins in Kazan, Tarpischev may enter the Guinness Book of Records in Kazan.
Presenting the rival of the Russians
The national team of Sweden has no tennis player who would be in top 500 in individual ranking. Isak Arvidsson's ranking is 661, and Daniel Windahl takes the 962nd place, Robert Lindstedt and Johan Brunstrom who play mainly in doubles: 26th and 92nd places respectively.
According to Shamil Tarpischev, the organization of matches in regions of Russia develops tennis. 'It is a unique opportunity for tennis-lovers to see world-class players,' he noted.
Kazan got used to large-scale tournaments
The Russians are obvious favourites in the coming match. But whatever may happen in tennis. Players whose, for instance, rankings are no. 50 and 300 can play equally. So, a tough fight should be expected.
The technical director of the Tennis Federation of Russia Stanislav Stepanets thinks that team spirit is seen in the Davis Cup matches. 'Players whose individual rankings are better can play without showing his or her full potential. And, on the contrary, players with low rankings demonstrate amazing result. This is why it is quite difficult to forecast favourites and outsiders. The Davis Cup is full of surprises. There are regularities, of course, but surprises dominate.'
The winner of this match will face with the Netherlands in World Group Play-off that our team left after being defeated by Italy 1:4. The very match will consist of four singles and one doubles.
According to first Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs and Sport of Tatarstan Khalil Shaikhutdinov, tickets are already available, and any person can see the match and support our national team for a relatively low price. He also noted that fans are to be taught to support in tennis. If in football or ice hockey fans support their favourite team loudly, in tennis, everything is on the contrary, the stands keep silence while players serve. Fans should understand the playing system of the Cup. For instance, if a team wins the first four ties, the fifth one is not played.
'Little stars' of Tatarstan
A topic of young tennis players of Tatarstan was discussed too. Hopes are pinned on 19-year-old Timur Kiyamov and Aleksander Boboryshkin.
'They already know what world tennis is. So, we pin our faith on the younger generation. If the school works, the moment when a tennis player of Tatarstan will play at the Davis Cup or in Fed Cup is about the corner,' says Ravil Nogumanov, the director of Kazan Tennis Academy.
There will be laid a new court under the supervision of a delegation from Croatia specially for this match. It is planned to organize a Sunday final competition of Yeltsin Cup, which is held now in Kazan Tennis Academy on the new surface in order to try it. Matches of Kazan Kremlin Cup (prize money: $40 000) will take place in Kazan after the Davis Cup. So, we will have three large-scale tennis tournaments within some weeks.
The Davis Cup returns to Kazan 5 years later. It is a big sports event for lovers of this sport in our republic. We express our gratitude to Shamil Tarpischev for his trust, choice of Kazan, to the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov for his support and to the International Federation,' first Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs and Sport of Tatarstan Khalil Shaikhutdinov stated.