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Tennis: Nalbandian eyes his second final

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  • Tennis: Nalbandian eyes his second final

    Scotsman, UK
    June 25 2005

    Nalbandian eyes his second final

    ALAN PATTULLO


    LIKE Andy Murray, David Nalbandian knows what it is to cause a stir
    in his very first Wimbledon. The Argentine arrived at SW19 in 2002 a
    genuine unknown and made stealthy progress into the final, where he
    was beaten by Lleyton Hewitt.

    It is possible for his young Scottish opponent today to emulate the
    feat. Possible, even, for him to exceed it. But Murray himself has
    judged it unlikely. Asked how he thinks he might fare, Murray replied
    that he should lose comfortably against a player he ranked among his
    boyhood favourites.

    When Nalbandian's name came to the fore, Murray was only 15, an
    impressionable youngster about to set out on a tennis odyssey which
    would begin to take shape at the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona,
    and then bring him here to Wimbledon.

    Nalbandian, on the other hand, hadn't heard much about Murray until
    the Dunblane teenager started appearing on the front page of national
    newspapers this week. "I didn't know him before so I can't tell you
    too much," said Nalbandian, a man of few words, after his
    second-round victory over Karol Kucera. Although his reticence is
    well known on the tour, he has a particular reason for his solemn
    bearing this week. Nalbandian is still mourning as his father,
    Nolberto, died recently.

    The pony-tailed Nalbandian gives the impression of a man focused on
    what he is doing, and unfussed by the media circus. But his lack of
    profile shouldn't obscure the danger which lurks for Murray.
    Nalbandian's five victories over Roger Federer point to a man on a
    level above mediocre. "I think I can get there [the Wimbledon final]
    again," Nalbandian said this week. "Why not this year?"

    Even the mere mention of his birthplace is enough to give many Scots
    nightmares. Nalbandian was born on New Year's day in 1982 in a place
    called Cordoba, scene of Scotland's infamous 3-1 defeat by Peru in
    the 1978 World Cup finals. His Armenian grandfather built a tennis
    court in his back yard but it wasn't until his first appearance at
    Wimbledon that he experienced a proper grass court. Indeed, in order
    to prepare for his appearance three years ago he asked his club in
    Buenos Aires to draw out some tennis lines on a nearby cricket pitch.


    Although Nalbandian has slipped down the rankings again in the past
    year - he entered this tournament at No 19 in the world - he is still
    a more than handy operator, as his last 16 finish at the French Open
    last month confirmed. And he knows what to expect today, if not in
    terms of Murray's game then with regard to the partisan Centre Court
    which is likely to await him. He lost in four sets to Tim Henman in
    2003 at the fourth- round stage, and knows a similar outcome will be
    equally popular today.

    "I think this is going to be the same," he said. "But it gives you
    extra motivation. I like the pressure."
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