Conchita Martinez named Spain Davis Cup captain

[Everanarose13]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/tennis/33404494

Former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez will take over as Spain's Davis Cup captain following the dismissal of Gala Leon Garcia.

Fed Cup team leader Martinez has been appointed until the end of 2015.

She is Spain's second female captain after Leon Garcia, who was appointed in September 2014 but had yet to oversee a tie.

Her first task will be to lead the team in the Euro/Africa Zone Group I tie in Russia, from 17-19 July.

Spain need to win in the tie in Vladivostok to have a chance of getting back into the elite World Group for next year's competition.

A Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET) statement said: "We sought the best solution for the difficult task our nation faces."

Leon Garcia was sacked following the decision by RFET president Jose Luis Escanuela to step down on Thursday after he was suspended for failing to cooperate in a government investigation into the federation's finances.

Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer and 42 other high-profile figures in Spanish tennis last week issued a statement criticising what they said was poor organisation and a lack of transparency at the RFET.

Nadal's coach Toni Nadal questioned Leon's appointment last year,suggesting that she was under-qualified and did not know the players.

The federation said Martinez had spoken to some of the Spanish players before taking over the Davis Cup role.

 

[King Fed WW]

Excellent, the fact this comes after Gala Leon means the players will have to accept her. There can be no (hidden) sexism because the complains about Gala can't be repeated here.

They said it was her CV not her gender, so now showing any sort of resistance to Conchita would completely undermine their previous complaints about Gala.

Had Conchita been appointed before Gala their would probably have been grumblings, at least privately, but this can't be the case now.


But I suppose she still can't go to the locker room Toni?

 

[TennisCJC]

Conchita knows tennis and is tougher than Nadal, Ferrer, Lopez and Verdasco so she is a good choice.

 

[TennisCJC]

Excellent, the fact this comes after Gala Leon means the players will have to accept her. There can be no (hidden) sexism because the complains about Gala can't be repeated here.

They said it was her CV not her gender, so now showing any sort of resistance to Conchita would completely undermine their previous complaints about Gala.

Had Conchita been appointed before Gala their would probably have been grumblings, at least privately, but this can't be the case now.


But I suppose she still can't go to the locker room Toni?

I don't think there is anything that interest her in the locker room so maybe she can go in.