ARGENTINA'S biggest sporting icon might have dismantled his favourite football team on Tuesday night but Leon Smith has no intention of allowing another of the South American nation's sporting giants to trample over his hopes of a repeat Davis Cup success.
The 40-year-old, Glaswegian born and bred, expects an Argentina team inspired by a rejuvenated Juan Martin Del Potro to prove tougher than any opponent Britain faced on their glory year of 2016.
But things could always be worse. At least he doesn't have to find a way to stop Lionel Messi.
Read more: Argentina leave Andy Murray guessing over Day One Davis Cup opponent
"That was tough," said Smith, wearily noting Celtic's seven-goal rout by a rampant, Messi-inspired Barcelona in the Camp Nou. "Fortunately we didn’t view that one, we were doing something else with the team. Some of the guys did go to the [Old Firm] game on Saturday so that sort of balanced it out a little bit.
"Just a handful of the guys went - and they loved it. Why not? It’s a great atmosphere. This is going to be a great weekend, though, and it’s really in the balance which is why the home support can make a big big difference."
Smith has been presiding over these ties for a good six years now, dragging this team up by their boot straps from the brink of Euro/Africa Zone III, but he must finally feel like he has hit the big league. His team, undoubtedly, are better now than they were when they claimed the trophy 12 months back.
One Murray brother has arrived basking in the immediate afterglow of US Open triumph, and this time it isn't Andy. Jamie and his Brazilian doubles partner Bruno Soares claimed their second major win, and Jamie's third in all, at Flushing Meadows last fortnight and while much of the spotlight will be hogged by Andy Murray's popcorn match-up with Juan Martin del Potro, whenever it takes place, Jamie's is a comforting presence in a tie where much as usual may depend on Saturday's doubles rubber.
“These matches are very different to most matches that we play on the tour," said Jamie. "I know on Saturday it’s going to be packed, with a full crowd and really noisy. That’s Davis Cup, it’s what I enjoy the most, those atmospheres. Last year we had four great experiences on the doubles court and this year as well in Birmingham and Serbia. I'm really excited to be involved this weekend."
So many permutations are at play in this weekend's tie that it must be hard for the respective captains to keep up. Assuming Smith feels that need for three singles options trumps the requirement to keep Andy Murray fresh, the Great Britain captain's main dilemma is to choose between two other men playing the best tennis of their lives. Dan Evans had match point against eventual winner Stan Wawrinka at the US Open, while Kyle Edmund made it past Richard Gasquet and John Isner before falling to Djokovic. "We’ve got five players sitting here that are all in conversation so there are different permutations to look at," said Smith. "But we’ve had an open dialogue and everyone knows the situation."
His opposite number Daniel Orsanic, meanwhile, spent last night deciding whether to stick or twist. Pitching Leonardo Mayer, ranked outwith the world's top 100 but No 21 as recently as last June, into battle against the World No 2 could see Del Potro land a winnable tie, but hardly a gimme, against either Edmund or Evans. Going with Del Potro-Murray on Day One would be a gutsier play, but Murray would still fancy his chances against an opponent against whom he has prevailed six times out of eight, including that epic, see-sawing Olympic final last month and their only previous meeting on an indoor hard court.
“I took a few days off after New York and came here and have been practising since Sunday," said the World No 2. "I get a little break after I’m finished here so one more big push this weekend. Del Potro is one of the best players in the world when fit and healthy and he played really well over the last couple of months. I didn’t see his match against Stan Wawrinka but he had a good run in New York and obviously from what I heard it was a good quality match. I expect no different here. He rarely plays poor matches when fit and healthy. Very solid, good ball striker and he doesn’t mind playing indoors. But the conditions will be fine for me. And it always gives an advantage to have the crowd behind you."
Del Potro was keeping his cards close to his chest last night. "First of all, I’m feeling good," said the Argentine. "And excited to be here. To be in another semi-final for our country, it’s amazing for us. The captain will decide who is going to play against Andy on the first day but we are all ready to play. I’ve been really good in the last month, between the Olympics and the US Open, my level of play has been going up. But here, everything changes. Now we should be smart and make only good decisions for these matches."
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