Fran Cerúndolo opens the series in Rosario, minute by minute

The Argentine Tennis Team has a dream: to win its second Davis Cup Silver Salad. To do this, in the first instance, they will have to beat Kazakhstan this weekend in a series that will be played, for the first time, in the Santa Fe city of Rosario. As determined by the draw, this Saturday it is Francisco Cerúndolo, 22nd in the ranking, who will be in charge of opening the series – from 11:00 and televised by TyC Sports – against Dmitry Popko, 338th.

Then it will be the turn of Tomas Etcheverry28th and who beat Sebastián Báez for that place, will collide with Timofey Skatov, 278°. The singles matches, for a couple of seasons, have been played in the best of three sets.

Was Coria’s decision to sit Báez for the first day of action surprising? Yes, especially because Sebas – who had just made the third round of the Australia Open and lost to Jannik Sinner – had shown a great level in training in recent days. On Thursday, he had even won a set against Cerúndolo. But the captain explained that the choice responded to a matter of tactics.

“We thought a little about everything. It wasn’t easy at all, I find myself in a situation that every captain wants to have. The three of them are very good, having a great time and are ready to play, because they adapted very well to the surface. That’s why “This was the first series in which we took an extra day to inform the boys of the decision. And the decision was one hundred percent tactical, also thinking a little about the strategy,” Coria explained.

Sunday will start with the doubles duel that Máximo González and Andrés Molteni will play against Aleksandr Nedovyesov and Skatov at 11 o’clock. After that match there will be the duel between the number 1 singles players of each team, Cerúndolo and Skatov. And, if necessary, the clash will be played between the No. 2, which would be Etcheverry and Popko. Although, as Coria anticipated and as the regulations allow, for that day changes may be made to the formation, so Báez could take the field in one of those individual matches.

The Argentines did not hide their position as favorites, aware of the enormous difference in ranking with their rivals and of the two significant losses with which the Kazakh team arrived. The one of Alexander Bublik, 27th and their best player, who was called up but opted to play the Montpellier ATP this week with the aim of continuing to add points to try to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games. And the Denis Yevseyev157th, who already suffered discomfort in Rosario and will not play any game, according to reports Born Schukincaptain of the Asian team.