Spain, before a Russian roulette for a place in the quarterfinals

The 3-0 Spain to Ecuador will play today (16:00, Let’s go) to Russian roulette at the Madrid Arena. The options to be in the quarterfinals go through sink a battleship with the most luxurious crew in the competition: Daniil Medvedev (two of the world and champion of the US Open), Andrey rublev (5th), Aslan karatsev (17th) and Karen khachanov (29º). The company seems very complicated, so Sergi Bruguera’s they will have to look out of the corner of their eye at other heats and try to be one of the two best seconds.

In this case, If there is a tie in the elimination rounds won between countries, it will decide the percentage of victories, of sets and of games. In this order. So the sets left by Pablo Carreño (against Emilio Gómez) and the doubles by the Asturian and Marcel Granollers (against Gonzalo Escobar and Diego Hidalgo) can become a drag. It’s time to fight and have the calculator at hand.

Russia, for its part, did not relax and took out all its artillery yesterday against Ecuador (3-0) to take ‘feeling’ at the height of Madrid. Rublev beat Roberto Quiroz, although also with a set against, by 6-3, 4-6 and 6-1. Medvedev, with the roller activated, had no mercy on Gomez (6-0 and 6-2). And the Karatsev-Rublev doubles defeated Hidalgo-Escobar 6-4, 4-6 and 6-4 and a bit of suspense. Another set delivered. As with Carreño, Rublev suffered more wear and tear than expected.

The Asturian, who should face a Medvedev whom he defeated in the Games, finished “very tired” after 5:17 that was on the track. Feliciano López, who was going to play the doubles, suffered a “drop” in glucose after his victory against Quiroz that forced to put Carreño in the duel in pairs. The two, according to sources of the Spanish team, were limited yesterday “to touch the ball !. And Bruguera influenced the team’s dynamics with Albert Ramos and Pedro Martínez, emergency substitutes for Roberto Bautista and Carlos Alcaraz, in case their contest was necessary.

“It was very important to beat Ecuador 3-0 because a victory against Russia could allow us to be one of the best seconds,” recalled Bruguera. The most open point is a priori that of doubles, so changes in the singles are not ruled out (Feliciano-Rublev would open) to present a fresh pair.

“In this competition anyone can beat you, it is the experience I have. It is totally different from the circuit. When you play for your country anything can happen and in this group each victory will be very important. In 2019, we coincided with Spain and we were the ones who were able to pass as second because I won a point from Bautista in the group stage even though we lost 2-1. So you have to play with the best, “Rublev recalled.

“With injuries, this is a challenge, but we must show everyone that we can survive,” warns a seasoned Feliciano (40 years). In the quarterfinals as second in the group, Spain would most likely meet Kazakhstan (2-1 to Sweden) at the bottom of the table. A much more pleasant outlook after facing Russian roulette.

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