Anders Järryd, who won the Davis Cup three times, considers captain Jarkko Nieminen’s importance in the Finnish tennis sensation to be decisive. He got to know Maskulainen already when he was just a stepchild.
The historic progress of the Finnish national tennis team to the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup has not gone unnoticed by sportspeople in the western neighbor either.
In Sweden’s sports history, the Davis Cup is quite a concept, as the country played in the finals of the classic competition 12 times between 1975 and 1998, i.e. every other final match on average. As the winner, Sweden celebrated on the field no less than seven times, the last time was in Milan in December 1998.
Three times – 1984 and 1987 in Gothenburg and 1985 in Munich – the victory party was held Anders Jarryd62, who belongs to the legendary players of Sweden’s golden generation of the 1980s, e.g. Mats Wilander’s and by Stefan Edberg alongside. There was a time when even a ranking in the world ranking among the 10 did not automatically guarantee a place in the Davis Cup crew in Sweden.
At his best, Järryd was ranked fifth in the world in singles and number one in his real bread sport in doubles. He won eight Grand Slam titles in doubles.
Järryd told Urheilu that he followed closely and with interest Finland’s sensational march to the quarterfinals, which required top countries like Croatia and the USA to be knocked down.
– I am really happy about Finland’s success. I am especially happy Jarkon (Captain of the Finnish team The promontory) for, because we have a common history.
When Nieminen was still an amateur player and a teenager, he often looked for opportunities to play and develop in Sweden.
– I played with Jarko in the same club team in Lidköping, when I myself was already a veteran. I saw even then that he was very likely to become a top player, Järryd remembers his masque player 20 years younger, who at his best was 13th in the world ranking, or ATP statistics.
Nieminen and Borg
Järryd, who is highly respected in Sweden, quickly lists his ideas about Finland’s tennis masterpiece, which is classified as quite a miracle.
– Jarkko is a competent and respected captain, which is very decisive in a competition like the Davis Cup. The players have to appreciate their captain, and Jarkko has been a very similar role model to all Finnish players Bjorn Borg was for me and my entire generation of Swedish players. Jarko finally became the perennial star and role model in Finland that young men needed to strengthen their faith.
– In addition Emil Ruusuvuoren The ATP ranking (57th) does not correspond to his real level. A ranking at his level would be clearly better.
When Edberg, Wilander, Järryd and many others were already dominating the huge and global sport on every platform, it seemed very distant that one fine day Finland would pass Sweden in tennis. Now this has happened.
– Of course, such an idea didn’t seem realistic at all at the time. I emphasize that I in no way belittled Finland. I went to Finland to play, and Olli from Rahnasto (the number one player in Finland in the early 1980s) would have become much better without injuries. But now we’re in this situation, and we’ve had yet another indication of the global nature and competition of tennis.
Among the top players in the Nordic countries, Denmark Holger Rune is as high as 4th in the ATP ranking and has also played in the Norwegian Grand Slam finals Casper Ruud on the 9th. Rusuvuori is also 28 places higher than the best Swede Mikael Ymerwho announced at the end of the summer that he was ending his career after being caught for a doping violation.
Finland continues the Davis Cup; The Canada match has a place in the semi-finals at stake.
– It wouldn’t surprise me any more. I know from experience that the most difficult thing is to take that first victory under great pressure. The second one is already easier, says Anders Järryd.