Spain vs Czechia Preview & Prediction | 2023 Davis Cup Finals ...
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THE FACTS
When is Spain vs Czechia on and what time does it start? Spain vs Czechia will take place on Wednesday 13th September, 2023 – not before 12:00 (UK)
Where is Spain vs Czechia taking place? Spain vs Czechia will take place at Pabellon Fuente de San Luis in Valencia, Spain
What surface is Spain vs Czechia being played on? Spain vs Czechia will take place on an indoor hard court
Where can I get tickets for Spain vs Czechia? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for Spain vs Czechia
Where can I watch Spain vs Czechia? All matches can be watched on Tennis Channel International’s Pay TV, while all Great Britain matches will be televised and streamed on BBC platforms
THE PREDICTION
Spain were handed a huge blow this week when Carlos Alcaraz pulled out of the group stages following his semi-final exit to Daniil Medvedev at the US Open last week. The hosts will still fill Valencia to the brim with raucous support and it will be fascinating to see how that, likely positively, affects world number 25 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina as an unlikely first option in the absence of Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal and the poor form this season of second option Roberto Bautista Agut. World number 42 Bautista Agut remains a fitness doubt having not played since mid-July but the 35-year-old will be desperate to play if he can as a decorated servant for Spain – memorably returning from his father’s death to help win the Davis Cup Finals in 2019.
Czechia won back-to-back Davis Cup titles in 2012 and 2013 under the star of Tomas Berdych but it has been some time since they could produce a team capable of competing in the latter stages. They still look a little underpowered this season but rising star Jiri Lehecka broke the top 30 for the first time last month, built mostly on his excellent run to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in January, and he is probably the most comfortable on indoor hardcourts of the players in this tie. World number 119 Tomas Mahac is capable of much better tennis than his current ranking suggests but he looks set to struggle against some top second options this week. 18-year-old Jakub Mensik could prove to be a huge wildcard this week after reaching the third round of the US Open on his tour and Grand Slam debut, setting a new career-high ATP world ranking of 151st.
The Valencia crowds will have to be Spain’s best player this week in a suddenly tough Group C without main man Carlos Alcaraz. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina should thrive under the pressure of playing the likes of Jiri Lehecka and, probably, Novak Djokovic this week but if Roberto Bautista Agut does not manage to come in as second option they look very underpowered on hardcourt conditions with two clay-court specialists in Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Bernabe Zapata Miralles to deputise. Assuming that ADF finds a way past Lehecka, no small feat in itself, backing Spain to win outright feels a reasonable call on a doubles decider that should go their way with world number 15 Marcel Granollers likely partnering up with Davidovich Fokina if required.
