Tennis | Otto Virta expects the worst opponent of his career in the Davis Cup: “I don’t know him at all,” says David Goffin of Belgium.

Belgian the number one player in tennis David Goffin knows that he is under pressure when the team faces Finnish tennis at the Davis Cup in Espoo.

Goffin, 31, wouldn’t be a mox Otto Virtanen encounter if time could be turned back a couple of years. Now Goffin is recovering from the injuries that ate up much of last year.

“I don’t know him at all,” Goffin says of Virtanen, 20, at the Metro Arena.

“I’ve seen him a little in a few rehearsals. I talked to my team and they knew Virtanen a little better. ”

Davis The first match in the draw was Goff against Virtanen. Friday’s second duel will face Emil Rose Mountain and second player in Belgium Zizou Bergs.

Ruusuvuori has won Bergs in both junior tournaments and small professional races, but Virtanen has never played against such a good opponent.

The situation could even sound unfair when Virtanen has to challenge Goffin, there is such a big difference in the ATP rankings. Virtanen is in 405th place, and the Belgian is a world star trying to return to the top.

Goffin assured that first you need to get your game fair, deal with the pressures and then see how things go.

“He has [Virtasella] there is nothing to lose, he can bang his punches all the time. I try to use my experience to win the match. ”

Finland could make history at the weekend Davis Cup. The victory would give the tennis national team a place in the top 16 countries in the world. The loss returns to the starting box.

Finland has reached a similar qualifying match three times before: 1990 against Sweden was 0–5, 1999 against Italy 2–3 and 2002 against the Netherlands 1–4.

Goffin is the level player that the Belgian DC team has built around him for years. The current ATP Ranking 68th is about an injury spiral, but the best seventh place in his career is a top achievement.

After more than a decade of professional career, Goffin recognizes clear differences in playing a regular ATP tournament compared to representing his own country in the Davis Cup.

“It’s completely different, of course. The atmosphere is different, you practice all week with your teammates and try to be ready. It also matters whether you play at home or away. ”

“That’s why the Davis Cup is like magic.”

Goffinin the difficulties began last year. He injured his ankle twice and a knee injury came on the market. The year 2021 ended with six consecutive losses.

The grass field season was completely missed by Goffin last year and the games ended at the US Open in early September.

“I’m coming back after an injury. I started at the beginning of the year. It would have been great to win more matches, but that wasn’t the main thing. I’m starting to feel better and better with exercise. ”

Goffin believed that good practice would start to move a little quietly onto the playing field and raise the rankings.

“There’s still a lot of power, of course. The future shows how it works, but my motivation is high. ”

“I feel physically great now, I just need more matches, self-confidence, and getting back up.”

Rose mountain and Goffin faced the match a few weeks ago, and Rose Mountain won.

Captain of the Finnish team Jarkko Nieminen is very familiar to Goffin from the early years of his career.

“I have very good memories against Jarkko, but also really bad ones, because I lost to him 6-0, 6-0 in Rotterdam.”

The year was 2013 and the zeros hit by Nieminen were even moderate news on the professional tour.

“It was the first time we played. He was like a machine, made no mistakes and had a hard time playing against him. Left-handed, sure basic punches and physically strong. I was young then and I didn’t know what to expect, ”Goffin recalls.

“After that, I won him in the next matches, including the final of the Tampere tournament on the mass field. That summer of 2014, I took a lot of profits anyway.

“I was very happy after winning it.”

Davis Cup Opening Day on Friday at Espoo Metro-Arena from 6 pm: Otto Virtanen – David Goffin and then Emil Ruusuvuori – Zizou Bergs. Saturday’s matches will continue at 2 p.m.