He is officially listed as a player-coach for this year’s Canadian Davis Cup team, but Daniel Nestor suggests his role isn’t going to change much, even with his new-found status.
“I’m not winding down, if that’s what you’re asking,” said Nestor, who will play doubles again, when Canada hosts Mexico, beginning Friday in an Americas Zone, Group 1 opening round Davis Cup tie.
“I think it (being named coach) is more of a title than anything else,” continued Nestor. “It’s more about spending a little extra time on the court, getting them ready for their singles matches, and adding any experience or expertise that I might have – if they want it.”
Nestor, of course, is one of Canada's most celebrated Davis Cup champions in history, beginning back in 1992, when he was still playing some singles and he upset the then No. 1 ranked player in the world, Sweden's Stefan Edberg, in an extraordinary World Group qualifying match played in Vancouver. The problem with The Davis Cup may be one of the most widely contested international sporting competitions (there are 127 nations competing right now), it is also so complicated - and goes on for so long - that it is greatly misunderstood as well. In effect, Canada is playing this weekend with a view to qualifying for the main draw of the 2009 Davis Cup competition. In order to do so, they must win three preliminary competitions – against Mexico, at home, this weekend; then on the road against Chile in April and then finally, in September against Brazil. A loss to Brazil in April of last year, on the road, effectively ended any hope of moving on to the main draw in 2008.
It represents a tall order and one of the best things Canada has going for it against the Mexicans is the presence of Nestor and his astonishing 22-3 mark in doubles (including 9-0 playing with Frederic Niemeyer, his likely partner in Saturday’s doubles competition). Nestor won four ATP doubles titles last year, including victories in one major (the French Open) as well as the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, playing with his now ex-partner, Mark Knowles of the Bahamas. His 50 career ATP doubles titles puts him second among active players behind Sweden’s Jonas Bjorkman, with 51. He finished 2007 ranked No. 3 in the world in doubles.
Mexico holds an 18-5 lifetime mark over Canada in Davis Cup competition, including a 4-1 win, on clay, the last time they played – in 2006 in Mexico City. On the plus side, Canada is a perfect 4-0 in previous matches played in Calgary, including three sweeps, the most recent of which came last year at this time, when they defeated Colombia.
Officially, Mexico is 27th in the current Davis Cup rankings; Canada 31st. The fact that Canada is playing at home makes them a slight favorite, although team captain Martin Laurendeau suggested the Mexicans cannot be taken lightly.
“As far as Mexico’s concerned, they need to be treated with a lot of respect,” Laurendeau was saying, as his players flanked him on either side - Nestor and Frank Dancevic to his left, Frederic Niemayer and Peter Polansky to his right. “Ranking-wise, that’s pretty much out the window at any time. We know some of their players. They’re comfortable at altitude, playing in Mexico City. They’re not a typical South American country, who we’ve played here over the years. These guys can play at altitude, they can play indoors and they play good doubles. They’ve shown that. Their two guys have been playing together since their junior days. We’ve been doing our homework and preparing the best we can, but we’re expecting a tough weekend, to be sure.”
Oscar Ortiz, the Mexican captain, said the biggest adjustment would be to the court - the lightning-fast Taraflex carpet that is almost, but not quite, obsolete on the tour nowadays.
“Yes, we are used to the altitude,” said Ortiz, “we just have to get used to the court. It’s really fast. Also, we’re playing indoors, so that’s different from the kind of court we have in Mexico. So we’re feeling OK. We just have to practice a little more to get used to the court. It’s really, very fast.”
