The Czech debut in the competition for the salad bowl, Tomáš Macháč, who surprisingly defeated the former world number seven Richard Gasquet 7: 6 and 6: 2, took the lead. Jiří Veselý then lost to Adrian Mannarin 7: 6, 4: 6 and 2: 6 in the duel of ones. In the decisive doubles, the youngsters Jiří Lehečka and Macháč bothered the fresh champions of the Champions Tournament, but Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut lost after two hours in three sets 6: 3, 4: 6 and 3: 6.
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Captain Jaroslav Navrátil’s charges still have a chance to reach the quarterfinals in their new model, the culmination of the team competition in the form of the final tournament for 18 teams. To do this, they need to beat the favored Britain on Sunday, and then it will also depend on Saturday’s match between the British and the French. The winners of six groups and two teams from the second places will advance to the playoffs.
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Macháč’s match with Gasquet began with a marathon game in which the Czech tennis player lost 0:40, but retained the serve. In the third game, although he lost the service due to inaccuracies due to inaccuracies, he immediately received Gasquet’s serve in the same way. Since then, the 21-year-old Macháč has held the service more confidently and won the tie-break 7: 3 thanks to more courage and, for example, a lunge to the net with a happy volley.
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Macháč hardly missed the second set. He tormented the French with tactical instructions and high balls and quickly aimed to win. He won the break twice and finished the match with two aces in a row.
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“I was excited to be able to play and I am very happy that I made my debut. I showed my heart,” Macháč said on the court. “The first game was very important, I was very nervous, but I fought for every ball. Gradually I played and in the second set it was better.”
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Match stats Tomáš Macháč – Richard Gasquet.
Veselý was the first in each set to lose the serve in a duel of left-handers. In the opening set, however, he managed to avert a setball at 4: 5 and with an improved return decided a tie-break, in which he allowed the opponent only a point. The second set decided Veselí’s unsuccessful game to 1: 2. In the third set, the Czech player defended the long first game, but then lost five in a row and lost in two and a half hours.
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“He returned very well, and even though I served well over the first serve, he kept the balls under my feet for a long time and it was badly pushed. And he killed my return many times. I had a hard time finding a recipe,” Veselý said. “Hats off as he played it in important moments. Unfortunately, I did not find a way to play it in important moments and gain the upper hand. I am sorry, after Tomáš’s victory we all felt a chance and I accepted the responsibility and unfortunately it did not happen,” he said.
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Leheček and Zdeněk Kolář were originally reported for doubles, but the captain sent Leheček, a year-old Macháč, to the court of 20-year-old Lehečka. And the young men flew into the French favorites with vigor, in the first set they covered them with blows and were rewarded with a break of 4: 2.
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The Czechs reached the beginning of the set and at the beginning of the second they had two breakballs at the time of Herbert. They never succeeded and the opponents didn’t give them any more chances. Since then, the French have served well and their qualities and experience have shown themselves on the network. The Czechs lost the second set in the end after losing Macháč’s serve and in the third he did not maintain service in the fourth game Lehečka.
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Sweden and Croatia are celebratingSweden and Croatia entered the final groups victoriously. The Northerners beat Canada in Madrid thanks to two siblings, Elias and Mikael Ymer, and the Croats defeated Australia in Turin.
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The first victory for Sweden was secured by Elias Ymer, who defeated Steven Diez 6: 4 and 6: 2 thanks to 22 victories. His brother then secured the team an unbeatable lead after winning 6: 4 and 6: 4 over Vask Pospisil.
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“Vasek can attack well, so I had to find a counter-weapon. The service helped me a lot, thanks to him he didn’t have much chance,” said Mikael, who had an 80 percent success rate from the first service.
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The champions of 2018 sent the Croats to the lead of Born Gojo with a 7: 6, 7: 5 victory over Alexei Popyrin, even though he is 215 places lower than his Australian opponent. The winning point was then secured by Marin Čilič. The 2014 US Open winner beat Alex De Minaur 6: 1, 5: 7 and 6: 4.
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The final tournament is played after a one-year break and in a slightly modified model in eleven days with the final on December 5th. The winners of the six groups will be joined in the quarterfinals by the two best from second places, the semifinals and finals will take place in Madrid. The Czechs will introduce themselves for the first time in the new system of the culmination of the team competition. The title is defended by the Spaniards.
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And it is they who will have to do without Carlos Alcaraz in the tournament. According to the association, the 18-year-old talented player has ruled out a positive coronavirus test.
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This is another loss for the defending champion. Due to foot problems in the team, there is not a 20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, and just before the start, the 19th world player Roberto Bautista also dropped out due to an injury.
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The selection of Captain Sergio Bruguera, who summoned Albert Ramos instead of Bautista, will face Ecuador in Madrid on Friday. Russia’s second opponent will be Russia on Sunday.
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| Group B (Madrid): |
| Sweden – Canada 2: 0 |
| E. Ymer – Ten 6: 4, 6: 2 |
| M. Ymer – Pospisil 6: 4, 6: 4 |
| Group D (Turin): |
| Croatia – Australia 2: 0 |
| Gojo –Popyrin 7: 6 (7: 5), 7: 5 |
| Čilič – De Minaur 6: 1, 5: 7, 6: 4 |
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