shows all the matches in Finland and the final match of the tennis Davis Cup final tournament from Malaga. Finland starts the tournament on Tuesday 21.11. at 5 p.m. with a quarterfinal match against Canada. National match live on TV2 and Areena.
Seven years ago, Finnish tennis was an interesting, but not so glamorous time. Finland played in the third highest level of the Davis Cup, when it faced Zimbabwe, one of the lilliputs of the tennis world, in Kittilä.
The national match played in March was moved to Lapland in order to arouse interest, and the event was marketed as the northernmost Davis Cup match in the world.
Finland’s line-up was special, because in the singles, two players who had already finished their professional careers were on the court – the best Finnish player of all time Jarkko Nieminen and since then returned to form in an amazing way Harri Heliövaara.
Both won their matches, and Finland eventually beat Zimbabwe 4–1. However, the situation of the national tennis team seemed anything but bright, because mostly pensioners were cooling off on the court.
Niemi was not seen playing again after 2016, but he never disappeared from Finnish tennis. In 2018, Nieminen took charge of the Davis Cup group, which he named the team of the future.
Ikköstyk was also growing into the role Emil Ruusuvuori, under whose leadership Finland started to win handsome victories. During Nieminen’s captaincy, Finland has won no fewer than 9 of its 12 national matches.
The fruits of long-term work have been reaped this season, but advancing to the top eight of the Davis Cup is still a giant surprise.
Especially this year, Finland has defeated many teams that are tougher on paper. The biggest sensation was seen in September in Split, when Finland defeated the most successful Davis Cup country in history, the United States, cleanly 3–0, and claimed a place in the final climax to be played in Malaga.
How on earth has Nieminen’s skippered Finland been able to pull off such a trick?
The Jarkko Nieminen effect
Nieminen, who won two ATP tournaments in his professional career, is the best player in Finnish tennis history. But could it be that he is even better as a captain?
Of course, the players take care of things on the court, but Nieminen’s role as a coach and spirit lifter is emphasized by both the players and the managing director of the Tennis Liitto Teemu Purhon mouth watering.
– I have asked him how he gets the best out of the players in tight moments. It is such a singular ability that I appreciate, admire and wonder how he does it.
The Jarkko Nieminen effect has been most visible this autumn Otto Virtanen in excerpts. Virtanen’s game has coughed up after a great early season, but in the Davis Cup he has fired up to play his best tennis.
In the previous stage of the Davis Cup in Split, Virtanen was Finland’s most valuable player, when he won all three of his matches. Two of these came from the Netherlands, who are clearly ahead of Finland in the ranking From Botic van de Zandschulp and the United States of Mackenzie McDonald.
– It seems that everyone always plays better when Jarkko is present on the field. We get to train that week with Jarko’s teachings, we get a lot of advice and a confidence boost. There is something in what Jarkko feeds us, and it works for everyone, says Virtanen.
Ruusuvuuori’s national team balance is also excellent. In the last two years, Finland’s number one player has won seven of his nine Davis Cup singles matches, in addition to which he has won all three doubles matches he has played with Heliövaara.
Purho thinks that Nieminen’s biggest trump card is his excellent relationship with the players.
– He is very close to the players. They have a good, trusting relationship. I think it will help him a lot in that role, Purho thinks.
Nieminen himself is of the same opinion. He has known the current players on the team since they were little boys.
– I have seen them for the first time when they were little juniors. Since then, a confidential relationship has been born. I think it’s quite unique, Nieminen states.
The captain’s presence in the players’ training can also be considered unique. Nieminen’s playing career ended eight years ago, but he is still in excellent shape, and offers both younger juniors and professional players valuable sparring on the court.
The shared hitting moments also give Niemi more information about the players.
– I see it as a big bonus and strength that I am on the field with many people. The more you deal with a player, the better you understand and learn about his weaknesses and strengths, both as a person and as a player.
Tennis is an individual sport and on the court, at least in singles, you are quite alone. In the Davis Cup, the rules are different in that the captain of the team sits on the side of the court during the match, and during breaks can offer tactical advice and encourage the player in a completely different way than when sitting in the stands.
– That’s where the couple of strict comments come from, which I take and internalize. The advice is short and to the point, he doesn’t talk too much, but stays calm and keeps things simple. It has been a decisive factor for me, says Virtanen.
Nieminen recently signed a three-year contract extension with Tennisliito. In addition to the Davis Cup weekends, the job description includes representative duties and even more player coaching.
– In the new contract, his work input with the players was increased. They have the opportunity to use Jarko’s know-how in their own daily life for a certain number of years, Purho opens the content of the employment contract.
Finnish invasion known in Malaga
When Finland meets Canada on Tuesday at the tennis arena in Malaga, the atmosphere will probably be the same as on the home court. Thousands of Finns are expected to attend.
1,000 Finns have purchased their tickets through the association, and at least 13 busloads of groups from the Finnish community in Fuengirola are coming. In addition to this, a few other Finnish tennis fans will probably find their own routes.
The boom has also been noticeable in home matches, when the Espoo arena sold a record 9,500 tickets for the Argentina match in two days in February.
In the previous phase of the Davis Cup in Split, there were three hundred Finns on the spot. The Tennis Association now estimates that around 2,000 Finns are arriving at the Malaga arena.
– Crazy thing! Even in Split, you could feel the atmosphere of the home field, Nieminen smiles.
Finland’s success is also reflected in the wallets of the players and the union. The exact rewards have not been revealed, but the combined pot of Finnish players has grown to around one million euros at this stage. The distribution of the pot is based on the ranking of the players and the number of matches played.
A place in the quarterfinals for the association brings an estimated few hundred thousand euros. If Canada falls on Tuesday, the sums will be even higher.
The goal of the tennis association is to repeat the success of the men’s national team, but according to CEO Purho, the purpose is to invest even more in raising women’s tennis as well.
– Developing and growing women’s tennis is a big deal for us. At some point towards the end of the year, they will come out with their plans. The third big thing is the players of the future, i.e. the young people who train at our training center and who are on their way to the professional tour.
It should be clear that Nieminen’s importance to Finnish tennis will continue to be enormous.
shows all the matches in Finland and the final match of the tennis Davis Cup final tournament from Malaga. Finland starts the tournament on Tuesday 21.11. at 5 p.m. with a quarterfinal match against Canada. National match live on TV2 and Areena.