Argentina's quest to win the Davis Cup for the first time after losing four finals is not an extra weight on the players' shoulders, captainMartin Jaite has told Reuters.
The nation that has reached most finals without lifting the famous salad bowl continue their latest campaign against Croatia in a quarter-final in Buenos Airesstarting on April 6.
"The weight comes more from outside than from the players. I don't believe the players are thinking: 'If we lost that final we're never going to win it," he said in an interview.
"The last final against Spain in Seville (in December) was a very complicated, difficult tie," Jaite added in his office in the bowels of the centre court at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club (BALTC), scene of many Davis Cup battles.
"I think that when one asks that (question) it's because of the final in Mar del Plata (in 2008) which was lost (to Spain) when everything was supposedly in place to win," said Jaite, a former top 10 player with 12 titles.
"I don't think the players feel a weight of not yet having won the Davis Cup," added the 47-year-old who made his debut as captain in the first round win in Germany in February.
Argentina, ranked third behind holders Spain and 2010 champions Serbia, reached their first final in 1981, during the Guillermo Vilas era, losing 3-1 in Cincinnati to aUnited States team featuring John McEnroe.
They have reached three more finals from 2006 during what could be called the David Nalbandian era but fluffed their best chance of victory the only time they were hosts in 2008 when a Spain team without Rafael Nadal upset them 3-1.
"There is a strong commitment on the part of the players to play the Davis Cup and if they can win, better," Jaite said.
Argentina will host the tie with Croatia at Parque Roca, a purpose-built claycourt venue on the city outskirts which some years back took over from the BALTC as their home court.
Jaite said Argentina, despite a favorable draw this year which put them at home against any of their leading title rivals, could not afford to look beyond their next tie.
"Now we're concentrating on Croatia... We can't think in future terms becauseArgentina has to think of the present," he said.
"It's a very difficult tie... Fortunately, our players have a lot of respect for their rivals... that means they won't relax.
"We know we have a good team... but we're not unbeatable, far from it," he added.
DEL POTRO'S RETURN
Jaite said his relationship with the players and their coaching staff was good and top Argentine Juan Martin de Potro's unavailability for the first round, criticized at home, had been handled properly and in no way counted against him.
Del Potro, U.S. Open champion in 2009 and now working his way back up the rankings after wrist surgery in 2010, wanted to concentrate on his start to the ATP Tour season but is now in the team to face Croatia.
"Del Potro and Franco (Davin, his coach) were very open with me about the first tie," Jaite said.
"As long as you have the objective of playing the Davis Cup and you like playing the Davis Cup, there are times when for different circumstances you don't play but as I see it that doesn't close the door to ever playing the Davis Cup again."
As for keeping Argentine fans and media happy, Jaite added: "What I try to do is explain how things are... obviously we can't convince everyone."
He said the 23-year-old Del Potro had made impressive strides in his bid to break into the tour's elite.
"(World number one Novak) Djokovic took a couple of hard years but it's incredible how he has dislodged the greats like Rafa (Nadal) and (Roger) Federer," Jaite said.
"The (player) closest to that group is Juan Martin, that group of four because I'd also include Andy Murray," he added of the British world number four.
"What Juan Martin has achieved up to now is incredible because he's already approaching the top places.
"He lost an important year... of competition against them. That's why sometimes when he competes against them he still struggles... Before his (wrist) injury he beat Rafa several times and he had beaten Federer.
"The good thing about Juan Martin is that he has only lost against those three or four players."
