[DC]Kafelnikov Crumbles as Russia Slump to 0-2 After Day One
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It wasn’t supposed to be this easy, was it? Gaston Gaudio beat Yevgeny
Kafelnikov 64 60 62 in the second singles rubber: six sets played, and all six
to the Argentines, who now hold a commanding two rubbers to love lead at the
end of the first day’s play in this Davis Cup by BNP Paribas quarterfinal tie.
Russia have got out of some tight spots before so they should never be written
off, but a 0-2 deficit away on clay, with a team that looks bereft of form and
even at times spirit, could well prove to be a deficit they cannot overturn.
The second singles match started well enough for the Russians, as Kafelnikov
confidently held serve in the opening game. Perhaps this was why he had been
brought back to play singles, having supposedly retired from playing anything
other than doubles for the Russian team.
Indeed the match was a tight affair and stayed on serve until four games all,
when Gaudio broke the Kafelnikov serve, the Russian netting a backhand to cede
the game.
This really was a turning point, even if it wasn’t readily apparent at the
time. Gaudio held serve to take the first set 64, Kafelnikov drfting a forehand
wide when set point down. Another tight set looked likely, but nothing could
have been further from reality, as Kafelnikov hit a trough in form.
Gaudio wrapped up the second set without the loss of a game, and without having
had to do much except keep the ball in play. The ace which clinched the set
prompted the stadium announcer to start playing loud music in apparent
anticipation of imminent victory, and the crowd, including the injured
Guillermo Canas, was clearly happy with the state of play.
By this point Kafelnikov looked a forlorn figure, and communication between
Captain Tarpischev and his player – never abundant at any stage – had
virtually ceased. A disputed line call in the first game of the third set,
which went Gaudio’s way, obviously irked the Russian, and it seemed as if this
might spark some life into his game.
Certainly the crowd were angered by Kafelnikov’s obvious irritation, although
he later paid tribute to their behaviour.
※群眾對老卡明顯的怒氣感到相當生氣，即使他之後對他們的舉動作出了回應。
“I expected empty Coke cans thrown on the court at me. I didn’t expect the
crowd to be that well-behaved.”
※我能預想的到會有空的可樂罐對準我擲向場上，我並不期待觀眾會有良好的行為舉止。
However, Gaudio continued to apply relentless pressure, and surged to a 3-0
lead – it was now twelve games in a row for him from 3-4 in the first set,
and there was no sign that Kafelnikov could win another game.
Just when an embarrassing scoreline was looming, Gaudio lifted his foot from
the pedal, and Kafelnikov from nowhere won two easy games to make the set
interesting again.
Once more though the errors reappeared in the Russian’s game, the shoulders
slumped and the movement became sluggish again. This time it really was game
over as Gaudio closed out the match 62 in the third set, a backhand beyond the
baseline from Kafelnikov on the third match point summing up the Russian’s
day.
He was not as gloomy after the match as one might have expected, saying that
he was just happy to be feeling healthy again.
“If I feel healthy, as I do, and I feel like I can win matches and
tournaments, then I will continue to play.”
Gaudio was clearly delighted to have given Argentina a 2-0 lead, and said that
in his opinion, it was not simply a question of Kafelnikov losing the match,
but his own good play as well.
“I was very consistent and I played very well today, except for maybe two
games,” he said.
“I didn’t think at all about the match in Moscow [in the semifinal last
year]. The most important thing was to give Argentina another point.”
Those were sentiments echoed by a happy Argentine Captain, Gustavo Luza, who
nevertheless stressed that his team had by no means won the tie yet.
When pressed with the observation that everyone here, even Marat Safin and the
Argentine press, have them as clear favourites to win, all he would say was:
“You guys obviously know more than us.”
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