The first matches of the Nokia Summer Cup exho tournament took place at Punta del Este.
Photo: Juan Martin del Potro FB
DelPo has debuted black ninja socks for 2012. He appears nonchalant in the photo, although everyone can see the hyperactive tweet he posted earlier, where he talks giddily about playing “el GRAN Guga Kuerten.”
Photo: @gugakuerten
Luckily, Guga was also in a cheery mood for the match. In addition to Guga’s 1H backhand and DelPo’s forehand, the match had many fun-filled moments, including:
- Guga laughing at DelPo’s poor attempt at a tweener. You know you’ve embarrassed yourself when even Guga, the patron saint of kindliness, is laughing at you! 🙂
- A DelPo & Guga shirt change that ended with each player throwing the other’s shirt into the crowd.
- Each player teaming up with a ball boy to play doubles. Guga was an encouraging instructor/doubles partner. DelPo showed a bossy OCD side with his junior doubles partner (His demeanor said, “Stand here. No. Here. Arghhh let me manually move you to where you’re supposed to be standing on the T”). His ball kid won the point, though. This scene was inordinately funny because DelPo’s own coach, Franco Davin, seems the ever-patient and obliging Zen-master type.
- Pico sightings. He was present in Uruguay, along with ARG’s DC captain Martin Jaite, who was presumably there to convince DelPo to play the Feb. tie against Germany.
Sadly, Uruguayan player Pablo Cuevas had to withdraw from the exho due to a lingering knee injury. He pinpointed the February Davis Cup as a possible return date. Let’s hope he recovers quickly. He is also in search of a new coach.
Gonzo filled in for Cuevas and he defeated Gaston Gaudio in the earlier match today.
This means that Gaudio and Guga will play for 3rd place tomorrow, in a match that will surely tug at the hearstrings of those who admire the two former RG champions and their refined 1H backhands.
Among the four players at the Summer Cup, DelPo is the only player with a 2H backhand. I kept willing him to hit a BH winner, just so he could make a statement on behalf of the 2H backhanded masses. Perhaps tomorrow, when he plays Gonzo in the final!
mariposaxprs 
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Thanks for the details and pics! Esp. the all important Pico-sighting! Love the giddy DelPo.
I trust you will update us if a fight breaks out b/t DelPo and Gonzo? (We all know Gonzo is a little unpredictable, and I agree with ariennalee–a tempest is raging inside of DelPo. Plus, they both have nicknames ending in “o”, which I believe could make their relationship especially volatile!)
It was quite the lovely Pico sighting! The Gonzo-DelPo final turned out to be an understated affair. There were some crazy forehand drills but for the most part, it was straightforward. No fights broke out! I would have loved to see an argument between Gonzo and the umpire with DelPo playing mediator or instigator. The nicknames ending with “o” is an interesting theory. I will have to put that on my list for things to observe in a match now 🙂 I’ll have to keep an eye on Dolgo, Fernando, Nico, Janko…the list goes on!!
I love that I can come here for the latest Delpo/ARG news. I’m enough of a fan to want to know what’s up with the fellas, but I’m too overwhelmed with tracking Rafa & Co (not to mention the wackiness that they call the WTA) to keep up. So thanks for the fix!
I’m sad to hear about Cuevas. I was hoping…
Not so surprised to hear that Delpo is a bit bossy with his little partner. He might sound laid back, but I suspect that there’s quite a tempest raging on the inside 🙂
Thanks! The exhibition tournament actually didn’t get that much media coverage (not too many photographers where there normally would be), so most of the photos came from the players themselves!
I’m crossing my fingers for Cuevas too! His old coach is now signed with Thomaz Bellucci, so he’s coachless (as far as I know) and rehabbing now.
Hahaha the tempest raging inside the elf? I can see it. He was playing gruff older brother to the ball kid—it was quite a riot to see him be so specifically bossy. Now we know how he really feels when he plays doubles sometimes 🙂