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Nalbandian prepares to skip MC for Davis Cup

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-09 11:06

STOCKHOLM: David Nalbandian is prepared to miss a chance at the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai in order to help Argentina try and win the first Davis Cup in the country's history.

Argentine David Nalbandian reacts after losing a point against Russia's Dmitry Tursunov and Igor Kunitsyn during a World Group Davis Cup semi-final tennis match in Buenos Aires, September 20, 2008.  [Agencies]

That's the plan of the top seed at the Stockholm Open after a crushing 6-1, 6-1 start to the ATP autumn indoor season where he dominated with back-to-back titles in Madrid and Paris a year ago.

And after hammering American Bobby Reynolds in 54 minutes, the world number seven is confident in aiming for Davis Cup glory instead of possibly playing in Shanghai.

"The jet-lag from China to Argentina is terrible," he said on Tuesday after reaching the second round. "I'm not thinking about qualifying for Shanghai. We have a chance to win the Davis Cup and that's what I'm concentrating on. That's what I'm worrying about now."

Argentina will host the Spain of Rafael Nadal indoors on a fast hardcourt in the provincial city of Cordoba - Nadal's hometown.

Nalbandian said that he is not worried about the ATP ranking points that he will be defending over the next four weeks, adding that he's feeling confident.

"You never know how it's going to go, but it looks like I'm ready to do it again - but you never know," he said of his run of form a year ago. "I feel good with my game, a lot better than I did at the start of the year.

"I had a great serve today, and played better than I thought I would."

Countrymen Jose Acasuso, the sixth seed, beat German Matthias Bachinger 7-6 (5/7), 3-6, 7-6 (7/4) while Juan Monaco brought the career of Swede Jonas Bjorkman closer to the end with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over a 36-year-old set to retire within weeks.