Portugal’s future in the Davis Cup is discussed in Viana with a “difficult” tie against Brazil
The Portuguese ‘captain’, Rui Machado, said today that he expects a “difficult and close round” in the unprecedented duel with Brazil, in the Davis Cup World Group 1, recording that the team has “produced a good tennis” at home.
“We are expecting a difficult, close tie, against a team that has good players in individuals and in pairs. The Davis Cup is just that, not knowing who will win in the end, but we are playing in Portugal and, whenever we play in Portugal, we have had good results, we have produced good tennis. And that’s what we want, for players to produce good tennis, because if they do, we have a chance of winning”, he estimates.
At the press conference in anticipation of the elimination between Portugal and Brazil, which took place at the Centro Cultural de Viana do Castelo, Rui Machado predicted “a balanced tie”, but determined that, if there is any favoritism, it will be due to the home factor.
“It’s different to play at home. I hope that we are there and that they help us. We have a lot of good players, all players with a very high level. Brazil brings a good team, with also very well known. We know what they are capable of, if they play well they are dangerous, but we prefer to prefer me in my team. By playing the best version of them, we have more possibility to win”, he defended.
Between Friday and Saturday, Portugal will host Brazil, at the Pavilhão Multiusos de Viana do Castelo, to contest access to the ‘play-off’ for the 2023 Davis Cup Finals, which will take place in March, with the national teams to face each other for the first time in the main competition for tennis teams.
João Sousa (56th in the ATP ranking), Nuno Borges (93rd), Gastão Elias (210th), Frederico Silva (250th) and Francisco Cabral (national number one and 45th world in the variant of pairs) those chosen to represent the Portuguese team, with the ‘captain’ recognizing that “all the calls are high, because the level of Portuguese tennis has been around for a long time, there are more solutions”.
“These are the players that I thought were the best to represent Portugal at this moment, in these conditions, which we chose, because we thought they were the best to face Brazil. Players from very strong outside players. I will have two chosen for the singles and the others will have to get to know from outside,” he said.
João Sousa, the most experienced and also highly rated of the players, identify more than “playing at home is very special”.
“Brazil presents itself with a very young team, but with a lot of experience on the circuit. Thiago [Monteiro] it’s been in the ‘top 100’ for a long time. In the pairs side there is also a player who is now in the ‘top 40’. It’s a young team, with a good result. We have to think about ourselves, more than thinking about them”, said the 33-year-old from Guimarães.
The Brazilian team is made up of Thiago Monteiro (65th), Felipe Meligeni (143rd), Matheus Pucinelli (224th) and Thiago Wild (370th), in addition to pairs specialist Rafael Matos (36th who ‘ranking’), with ‘captain’ Jaime Oncins predicting “a tough match, very balanced”.
“The teams are attractive, balanced, very strong. [Duelo] It will be reserved in some details”, he said that “both teams have strengths”
Oncins stressed that João Sousa “has been gifted well, Nuno [Borges] has had good results”, and the duo, composed by Borges and Francisco Cabral, “has been together in several tournaments, with good results”.
“On our side too, Monteiro has done well, the other players are new, but they’ve already had good results. Of the matches in which I’ve been ‘captain’, this must be one of the most balanced”, concluded the Brazilian ‘captain’.