Juan Martin Del Potro Will Not Play First Round Davis Cup Tie With Germany

Written by: Staff on 26th December 2012

Juan Martin Del Potro Will Not Play First Round Davis Cup Tie With Germany

epa03467350 Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina returns to Novak Djokovic of Serbia during a ATP World Tour tennis semi final match at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, 11 November 2012. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

Argentina will be without Juan Del Potro after the national No. 1 came good on his vow to skip the opening round, to be played against Germany February 1-3. The decision was barely a surprise for Argentine tennis, where Del Potro and David Nalbandian are hardly on speaking terms and the atmosphere in the Davis Cup squad is reportedly chilly at best.

Del Potro was dropping hints as early as his indoor title run last autumn, when he lifted trophies back-to-back in Vienna and Basel. While Delpo sit out, Nalbandian is trying to find fitness and could even skip the Australian Open to stay at home and train if his team feels that is what it takes for him.

Argentine captain Martin Jaite is resigned to a battle with Germany, which had selection troubles of its own during 2012. That team was split apart after No. 1 Philipp Kohlschreiber skipped most of the season after a feud over remarks made by Tommy Haas concerning his rival’s dedication to Davis competition.

“We sent emails to all the players likely to be selected and asked them to respond before December 10. Del Potro didn’t answer. On December 20, he then sent me an SMS to tell me that he was not available,” Jaite told La Nacion newspaper.

“The relationship with Del Potro isn’t broken, the doors of the team are always open to him.”

Argentina lost in the 2010 semi-finals against eventual champion the Czech Republic.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Argentine tennis news, David Nalbandian, Davis Cup tennis news, German tennis news, Juan Martin Del Potro, Sports, Tennis News