15, 16, 17 y 18
DIC 2011
AN ACTIVE CHELA PROVED TOO MUCH FOR A RETIRED SAFÍN
Ultimately, it was not another regular visit for Marat Safín to the Argentine Cup. Even a year after he left the courts and the tennis arena, the Russian player could offer a few strokes of his magic, but these were not enough to defeat Juan Ignacio Chela, who was superior and beat him 6-7 (5-7), 6-1 and 6-1.
At the end of this edition, rain willing, Juan Mónaco would be playing against American player Mardy Fish.
There was anxiety among the Argentine public as this was the first time an already -retired Safín would be playing in the country. In 2003, when he came to Argentina to play the Davis Cup representing his country at the Ríver Plate Stadium, he was unable to do so due to an injury.
Charismatic, former number 1 player in the world charts took roaring applauses and affection from the BALTC central court.
“Here people are simply adorable, they have a really easy-going and appreciative attitude. Since my retirement, I’ve only played a couple of exhibitions, so this is why the match against Chela is a particular challenge”, Safín said a few minutes before entering the court in the midst of a rainy weather forecast and a very strong wind rocking the facilities.
Bonus tip: her sister Dinara, trained by coach Gastón Etlis, was also watching the match. “The weather is like the one found in Australia, and this is something useful for me,” said Dinara, former leader in women’s world ranking.
HE STILL RULES
Watching David Nalbandian play the third game of the match in a soaking-sweat t-shirt as if he were playing in full daylight with 30Cº, clearly showed the level of seriousness and commitment with which he addressed the definition of the Argentine Cup against Juan Mónaco. With no jokes or comments that may hint at an exhibition match –there were a few laughs shared between the players- both top players displayed their best repertoire of shots and proved that there are hardly any tennis issues to attend to, for the beginning of 2011. See interview
STANDING OVATIONS FOR ALL
Players were congratulated with standing ovation on their own efforts. Not only were favorites Nalbandian and Mónaco congratulated, but also Chela, who had a great 2010 and two ATP tournaments won in the last season. Mardy Fish and James Blake were positively surprised by the public’s ovation, fascinated by the speed of their shots. The public even had to overcome the challenge of a rained out session on Friday, which was completed on Saturday, with three rescheduled matches instead. The finals match was the living proof of a satisfied and grateful public, who cheered enthusiastically from the crowded grandstands.
A TOUR OF THE COMMERCIAL STANDS AND PAVILLIONS
The commercial area of stands showcasing and marketing products is an attraction in itself. The public enjoys spending downtime in-between matches, grabbing some snack or meal, and delighting in the attractive products that our sponsors display. Some of the sponsors present in our edition were Powerade -the players´ official drink-, Topper -with a retro-style stand-, Babolat and Pony, among others.
FAREWELL TO MOYÁ
An early retirement, Carlos Moyá said his goodbyes to tennis with a victory over Guillermo Cañas in a moving match. The Spaniard, former number 1 player in the world charts, beat retired Willy by 4-6, 6-1 and 7-2 in the final tiebreak.
“It is difficult to put in words the eternal gratitude I will always feel for the Argentine public. Ever since I visited Argentina for the first time, with my first professional title, every visit has been filled with a very special chemistry.”
See interview
THE PRIDE OF A GREAT CONTEST
At the turn of every year, as we take the opportunity to embrace reflection and analyze events in retrospective, we also love to live intensely every step of the tournament that has already become a tradition in our tennis calendars. The Peugeot Argentina Tennis Cup has already turned its´ 8th Edition as a truly rewarding and pride-fulfilling experience for all of us who are a part of its´ essence. However, we would never be able to offer this outstanding sports event if the iconic grandstands at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club were not filled by you, the public who turned stellar the only top-quality contest played on fast surface in the country, in what is considered the Cathedral of Tennis in Argentina.
