Davis Cup Crisis Center, Day 1

Good morning. Everyone ready for Davis Cup? Pete is in Birmingham, Alabama for the USA versus Switzerland World Group tie (starting at 1 p.m.), but here in the European timezone we're already under way with Russia versus Romania's tie (Marat Safin has taken the first set against Victor Crivoi).

Today's rubbers between Spain and Serbia, which were due to begin at the same hour in Benidorm (with David Ferrer due to play Novak Djokovic, followed by Rafael Nadal versus Janko Tipsarevic), have been postponed due to wind damage affecting the specially-constructed grandstands. That means that the tie won't be played until organizers are sure that the stands have been repaired so that no spectators are at risk - most likely beginning tomorrow. Pictures show that the top tier of seats has collapsed in various places around the stadium. No such problem in Malmo, where the spectatorless tie between Sweden and Israel is yet to begin.

I'm tempted to think that there's a jinx on the combination of Spain, tennis courts, and the environment. Apart from this weekend's events, I can also recall a worm infestation requiring the last-minute rebuilding of the specially constructed half-clay, half-grass court in Mallorca before the Federer-Nadal "Battle of the Surfaces" exhibition in 2007, and rain leaking through the roof of the Madrid Arena later in the same year, leading to a delay in play and reports of Manolo Santana climbing up to view the roof. I was, however, saved by bad weather once in Spain last year, when events outside my control kept me from arriving on time at the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid for the third day of last year's Davis Cup semifinal, and heavy rain delayed the start for a good couple of hours.

Today's World Group start times:

Enjoy today's tennis.

-- Rosangel Valenti