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Politics overshadows Davis Cup tie
AP , STOCKHOLM
Friday, Mar 06, 2009, Page 19
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Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia serves during a first round match at the ATP Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships on Feb. 23.
PHOTO: EPA
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Sweden will host a Davis Cup tie this weekend in an empty stadium when they face Israel in Malmo in the first round of the World Group. Authorities decided to play the best-of-five series from today through Sunday in a closed arena because of fears of demonstrations and protests against the Israelis.
Thousands of people who want to stop the match are expected to gather for a demonstration tomorrow. Organizers said it would be a peaceful protest against Israel’s three-week offensive against the Gaza Strip, but police are taking no chances and have called up 1,000 officers to keep protesters from the stadium.
Top-ranked Rafael Nadal should have plenty of crowd support when he leads defending champions Spain against Serbia in Benidorm. Record 32-time champion US faces a Switzerland team that will be without Roger Federer in Birmingham, Alabama.
Also in the first round, it’s Argentina vs. Netherlands in Buenos Aires; Czech Republic vs. France in Ostrava; Croatia vs. Chile in Porec; Romania vs. Russia in Sibiu; and Germany vs. Austria in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
In Malmo, the decision to play without fans sparked criticism from tennis officials in both Sweden and Israel, as well as the International Tennis Federation.
On the court, 2002 Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson is likely to return from injury and play for Sweden despite not being on the original nomination list.
Nadal, who withdrew from the Dubai Tennis Championships because of a right leg injury, is ready to face Serbia.
Spain, who beat Argentina in last year’s final, elected to play the series on clay at the Terra Mitica amusement park, where a specially constructed 14,000-capacity outdoor court has been built.
Nadal will be joined by David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez and Tommy Robredo. Serbia are led by third-ranked Novak Djokovic.
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