To David Nalbandian, Davis Cup Is More Important Than Australian Open

Written by: Staff on 28th November 2012

To David Nalbandian, Davis Cup Is More Important Than Australian Open

epa03269825 A dejected looking David Nalbandian from Argentina after loosing by default to Croatia's Marin Cilic during the Aegon Tennis Championship final in London, Britain, 17 June 2012. Cilic won by default 6-7, 4-3 after Nalbandian had injured a line judge by kicking the court boarding. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

Tennis bad boy David Nalbandian will crack down on his outbursts in 2013 with an avowed goal of helping four-time Davis Cup finalist Argentina to get past the first round of the next campaign in a home tie against Germany.

And if that means missing the Australian Open in January, then so be it. “I’ll do the pre-season in mid-December, but whether I’ll go to Australia or not depends on the surface they choose for the Davis Cup,” said the 30-year-old. “I also plan to play the tournaments in South America on clay (in February).”

Nalbandian, who won just a single round in the three Grand Slams that he played in 2012, ended his season with injury before the US Open. He now tells Clarin newspaper that he’s now ready to work for a revival of fortunes, both for the team and for himself.

His participation will be all the more valuable to the fractured team after Juan Del Potro announced that he won’t participate in the tie on clay in Buenos Aires. “We have to win the Davis Cup once and for all,” said Nalbandian. a 2002 Wimbledon finalist.

“Argentina has very good players in this (team), but the best was when we were four players in the top 1″

“Germany will be a tough opponent. But we must all try and work towards having the best possible team in the Davis Cup. I will try hard to enter 2013 list of Top 50 best players. I can always get there if I get lucky in terms of injuries and don’t get a tough draw at the big events.”

He will also want to work on his deportment after a 2012 marked by incidents including the alleged tossing of water onto an Australian Open official and kicking a courtside advertising hoarding during the Queen’s final and injuring the linesman sitting behind it on the shin, resulting in a DQ as Marin Cilic won the title

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Argentine tennis news, Australian Open, David Nalbandian, Davis Cup, German tennis news, Sports, Tennis News