Leo Palin follows the Finnish Davis Cup flight on the spot.
Harri Heliövaara and Otto Virtanen won 2–0 in Tuesday’s decisive doubles match. FINLAND TENNIS ASSOCIATION
– This is an incredible achievement, by all standards. This is considered a global sensation.
Thus Leo Palin sums up Finland’s Davis Cup avalanche.
Palin is a great player of the 1980s, the first Finnish tennis star. This week in Malaga he is watching the great performances of the current players.
– No other Nordic country is participating (in the final tournament), although Norway and Denmark have the absolute best in the world, Palin reminds.
– The Davis Cup is a huge, global event. This can be compared to any major sport.
The Davis Cup has changed its format in recent years, but Palin feels that the prestige is still high.
– The best are here, even the overwhelming number one in the world.
Novak Djokovic along with the top 10 in the singles ranking, there is also Italy Jannik Sinner.
– Finland did not have a single player in the top 100 yesterday, except Harri Heliövaara in the doubles ranking (29th), Palin reminds.
– Everyone has surpassed themselves.
“Like a home game”
Leo Palin took 15 singles victories in his Davis Cup career. IL ARCHIVE
Finland knocked off Canada, the reigning champion, without its singles star Emil Ruusuvuorta. Patrick from Kaukova, Otto Virtanen and doubles specialist Heliövaara won 2–1.
Palin praises that Finland played “a bit like a home match” in Malaga.
– According to my estimate, there were 8,000–9,000 spectators, and about three quarters of them were Finns, Palin says.
– Encouraging has risen to a new level: very active and well-rounded. It’s a big help for the team.
“A bold bet”
Jarkko Nieminen is the captain of the Finnish Davis Cup team. FINLAND TENNIS ASSOCIATION
Jarkko Nieminen is the captain of the Finnish team, i.e. in practice both manager and coach. Palin has also worked as a DC skipper after his own playing career.
– The captain is responsible for the lineup. He decides who plays when, Palin explains.
– During the game, the captain should know the psyche of the players and know how to react to changing situations. Jarkko is time low keynot jump and bounce, but it probably suits Finns.
Nieminen reacted in the middle of the Canada match and paired Virtanen with Heliövaara in the doubles.
– It was a really brave move, Palin sees.
– I would have guessed that Heliövaara and Kaukovalta will play.
Continues on Friday
Finland’s semi-final pair will be decided in the match between Australia and the Czech Republic on Wednesday night. Australia is last year’s finalist, whose star is a top ten-tickling, quick-footed Alex de Minaur.
Finland’s semi-final match will be played on Friday, the final match on Sunday.
On the other side of the chart, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Italy and Djokovic-starred Serbia play.
– The other side of the diagram is a little worse, Palin estimates.
– We are still underdogs, of course – but these cannot be solved on paper.