That Spain were taking the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie seriously was evident by the team comprising tennis heavyweights, led by the 14-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal. So when a member of the team said as much, hardly anybody was surprised.
“We are taking this tie very seriously,” said an official on the sidelines of Monday’s practice at the DLTA.
Such is the diligence that the Spanish Armada landed in the morning and took the courts in the evening, spending around ninety minutes. The make-up of the contingent only drives the point home.
Read| Rafael Nadal’s forehand, a swing to marvel at
The 20-member group consists of a team doctor, two physios and a junior player — “not to be groomed” but for sparring. The Spanish federation chief Fernando Fernandez-Ladreda Aguirre is accompanying but most notably — unlike India — each player has brought along a personal trainer.
After all, ‘one size fits all’ doesn’t quite cut it at the highest level.
Each body is different and the Spanish players are no spring chickens either. Nadal, at 30, is the youngest member of the team. The other three — David Ferrer, Marc Lopez and Feliciano Lopez — are 34 and have stayed relatively injury-free for 15+ years thanks to the uncomprising fitness regime.
{{/usCountry}}Each body is different and the Spanish players are no spring chickens either. Nadal, at 30, is the youngest member of the team. The other three — David Ferrer, Marc Lopez and Feliciano Lopez — are 34 and have stayed relatively injury-free for 15+ years thanks to the uncomprising fitness regime.
{{/usCountry}}It could be argued that the visitors are going for overkill against an outmatched India side. But then again, that is the way of the elite.