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Davis Cup Preview
Biggest match: Hewitt v. Coria in Sydney
Page 3: Roddick-Sharapova party together after ESPYs
By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net
 Cynthia Lum/WireImage.com
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| David Nalbandian will face the Australians on their grass court. |
The Aussie Davis Cup team now consists of two players: Lleyton Hewitt and Wayne Arthurs. Both the two-time Slam champ and the lefty veteran are scheduled for three contests when Australia faces Argentina on grass in Sydney this coming weekend in the quarterfinals.
The opening rubber will feature former Wimbledon champ Hewitt against Guillermo Coria in a match-up of two of the tour's fastest players, followed by Arthurs against former Wimby finalist David Nalbandian, who is also scheduled for three rubbers. The doubles on day two will consist of Arthurs/Hewitt up against Nalbandian and Roland Garros finalist Mariano Puerta. The reverse singles on the Sunday will feature Hewitt against Nalbandian in a '02 Wimby re-match, followed by Arthurs against Coria.
With Mark Philippoussis mostly hurt and playing terribly and Todd Woodbridge having retired at Wimbledon, it's up to Hewitt and Arthurs to come up big. Arthurs has a 5-1 record in DC singles, but did lose the deciding match of the '01 final against France's Nicolas Escude. "If you have your two best guys available, you go to them," Arthurs told the Sydney Morning Herald. "If not, you go to the next guy. I've been that next guy on numerous occasions and never backed down from the challenge. That's just the way it goes."
Nalbandian is brimming with confidence, even going as far to say that the Argentines could be up 2-0 after Friday. "I feel comfortable on grass and I feel very good, so I think we have a chance to win this series and I think with this team we can win it," he said. "Australia is stronger on a grass court but I believe in these guys and I believe in this team and I believe that we are going to win."
RUSSIANS FAVORED AT HOME
Even though Argentina is brimming with talent, the edge has to go to the Aussies at home. The same can be said for Russia, which is without Marat Safin (who just underwent knee surgery) and Mikael Youzhny, but is playing at home and is extremely tough there.
Igor Andreev will begin play against French super-teen Richard Gasquet, who's making his DC debut and will have his mental resolve tested. Then Russian No. 1 Nikolay Davydenko – who been battling a wrist injury – will go up against another Frenchman, Paul-Henri Mathieu. Andreev/Youzhny are scheduled against the talented and experienced French team of Arnaud Clement/Michael Llodra. On Sunday, Davydenko will play Gasquet and then Andreev will face Mathieu. There's almost no question that this match will go down to the decider.
"The fact is that every one of our players is ready to play but we decided to go with Andreev and Davydenko to make it more difficult for our opponents and at the same time to give our team more options," Russia captain Shamil Tarpishchev told Reuters.
 Cynthia Lum/WireImage.com
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| Mario Ancic will team with Ivan Ljubicic and Andrei Pavel to lead Croatia against Romania. |
The tie is the first meeting between the two countries since the '02 final when Youzhny came from two sets down to beat Mathieu in the fifth rubber in Paris.
Croatia is the favorite in Split over Romania, where Mario Ancic and Andrei Pavel will begin play, followed by Ivan Ljubicic against Victor Hanescu. Then,
Ancic/Ljubicic will go up against Pavel and Gabriel Trifu. On Sunday, Ljubicic will take on Pavel, followed by Ancic and Hanescu. This is the same Croatian duo that took down the US in LA and a team that has never reached the semis. "Team spirit is great, we are ready to go," Ancic said. "Even before we beat USA in Carson, I said we have a good chance to make a big Davis Cup result. This is our chance, big chance to make it to the semis for the first time, but it will be a difficult task. Romania has a great team."
In the most improbable of al the quarters, the Slovak Republic takes on the Netherlands in Bratislava on indoor carpet. Dominik Hrbaty will open play against Raemon Sluiter, followed by Karol Beck against Peter Wessels. Then Beck/Michal Mertinak will play the 39-year-old Paul Haarhuis and Wessels, followed by Sunday's matches of Hrbaty against Wessels and Beck against Sluiter. Hrbaty has never beaten Sluiter in three meetings.
"This is the Davis Cup and it is very different from any other matches," said Hrbaty. "I have known Raemon for many years and I will do my best. It will be very tough but I will try to beat him."
Page 3: Roddick-Sharapova
party together after ESPYs
According to ESPN.com's Page 3, after meeting up at Hollywood's Playboy Mansion at a pre-event party for the ESPY Awards, Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova "retired to the Tropicana Bar at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and were still lounging together poolside into the wee hours of the morning." Page 3 also reported the following: "As Sharapova arrived on the red carpet for one of the pre-event parties Tuesday night at the Playboy Mansion, the statuesque Russian was asked to take a few photos with Roddick. 'Are you wearing heels?' Roddick blared from across the carpet. 'I'm not taking a photo with you if you're taller than me.' Vaulting on his tiptoes, Roddick made his way over to snap a few shots with the 18-year-old superstar. The two spent much of the evening together, chatting each other up and watching the bouts for ESPN2's 'Tuesday Night Fights.' " … Sharapova and Roger Federer were given ESPY's for the best tennis players. Serena Williams presented the Male Athlete of the Year to Lance Armstrong.
Has any player received more attention for a one-set comeback than all-time great Steffi Graf has? No. The 36-year-old Graf one-off for the Houston Wranglers of WTT earlier this week received a huge amount of press. Graf fell to Elena Likhovtseva 5-4 (3) in singles, teamed with Ansley Cargill and fell to Anna Kournikova/Likhovtseva defeated Graf 5-2 in doubles, but did score a win in mixed doubles, where she and Mardy Fish beat Mark Knowles/Kournikova 5-3. "She put up a fight," Likhovtseva said. "She's the greatest player." For sure, but the Graf of six years ago wouldn't lose to Likhovtseva. … BTW: Unlike Martina Hingis, there is no real temptation for the mother of two to return to the tour.
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