As Indian tennis enthusiasts watched their team lose the opening two singles rubbers against Spain in their Davis Cup World Group Playoff in September, a different spectacle was unfolding in Glasgow, in the semi-final tie between Great Britain and Argentina.

Andy Murray, hero of the British Davis Cup squad, who had led the side to victory in the event after 79 years, in 2015, was trumped by Juan Martin del Potro in a five-hour long thriller. Murray’s defeat was absolutely unexpected. On the other hand, the Argentine’s win punctuated his relevance in an event where not only are results unpredictable, but the players themselves are secondary to the country they represent.

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Prioritising the Davis Cup

It is therefore not entirely surprising that most players opt out of playing for the Davis Cup unless absolutely necessary, that is, having to fulfil the International Tennis Federation’s regulations of playing the mandated quota of Davis Cup ties in order to be eligible for the Olympics. Furthermore, with the ITF deciding not to award ranking points for players participating in the Davis Cup, it has become harder to convince them to be a part of their national squad. By casting aside their other vested interests in playing tourneys that offer them hefty prize purses and ranking points as incentives.

In the cacophony of such disinterested players, the 28-year-old del Potro has come to be an exception this year, choosing to miss the Paris Masters to give himself more time to be ready for the Davis Cup final. He is, by no means, the top-ranked player he once was and his game has quite a few chinks that can be exploited, especially his backhand wing. But, despite the drawbacks in his game, it is on the World No. 38 that the Argentine hopes are firmly pinned on for the final, most particularly after his win against an in-form Murray.

The Argentine captain Daniel Orsanic chose to play it safe by having the exhausted del Potro play doubles along with Leonardo Mayer instead of having him play the reverse singles rubber, against Britain. Against Croatia though, there are not likely to be any such cautionary moves since Argentina will want to go all-out in its bid to capture its first, and until now, elusive win in the event format.

History beckons

There is a cumbersome dubiousness attached to Argentina’s history in Davis Cup finals. Of having lost all four finals it had previously reached. Del Potro was a part of the squad that contested the latter two finals – in 2008 and 2011 – both against Spain. Back then, as one of the younger members of the squad, del Potro had lost all the rubbers he’d played. One against Feliciano Lopez in 2008, and two against David Ferrer and Rafael Nadal in 2011.

Going into the final this time, it is a dissimilar prospect. For del Potro as much as for Argentina. In these five years marking Argentina’s absence in the Davis Cup final, del Potro has made the transition of being the senior-most team member. As such, his team-mates will be looking at his experience and expertise in guiding the team through to victory. The Argentine team spirit will be buoyed by the fact that they have never lost any of their previous three ties to Croatia.

However, the volatility that marked del Potro’s win over Murray could make an appearance yet again. This time turning the tide in favour of the Croatians, who have far higher ranked players. Del Potro knows, and understands, this all too well, which is why he’s not leaving any preparatory aspect of his, or of his team, to chance. “I’ve had a great year. I have everything to do a good weekend,” the soft-spoken Argentine opened up in his pre-tournament press conference, before continuing, “We are thinking about the preparation and trying to focus. It’s a special moment for us and we are positive. It will be a great experience if we do really well.”

To say the last, if Argentina do win, will be a huge understatement. But if at all, anyone can get the team it’s much-dreamt about glory, it is del Potro who’s defied expectations and done the unthinkable several times this year. Capping off with a Davis Cup win will then truly be his crowning glory for 2016, setting the right tone for 2017 and all the highs the forthcoming season could bring for him.