A Lion in the Davis Cup

For Argentina, any competition that means defending your nation’s flag provokes a different feeling, where passion surpasses reason. David is not an exception to this rule and as the years go by, he becomes the main focus on the Argentine team in Davis Cup, due in part to his talent, but primarily to his fighting spirit.
At the age of 20, he debuted in the semi-finals against Russia in Moscow. He played doubles with Lucas Arnold in a match that made history. In a 6-hour-20-minute match, the Argentine players won in the fifth set, 19-17.
The following day, David played again, this time singles, but he was beaten by Marat Safin in four sets. The series was won by the Russians 3-2.
For David the 2003 Davis Cup began against Germany. He won both matches he played, one singles and one doubles. The series ended at 5-0.
The following year in April, David and Argentina had their rematch against Russia, this time in the quarter-finals. Now, having the spectators on their side, they won the match with the resounding result of 5-0. David once more won in singles and doubles.
Year after year, it seemed that Argentina had all the chances of winning but the dream did not come true. In 2005 David and his team knocked out the Czech Republic without losing a game. In the quarter-finals, there was a big challenge waiting for them: Australia as visitors. David played his first match against Wayne Arthurs and won in four sets. Lleyton Hewitt beat Coria, leaving the two southern hemisphere nations in a tie. David and Mariano Puerta played doubles and unequivocally beat the Australians in three sets. The eagerly awaited match was the first match played on Sunday—Nalbandian against his 2002 Wimbledon nemesis, Lleyton Hewitt. With a great performance, David went on to trash the Australian 6-2, 6-4, 6-4.
The duel ended 4-1 in favor of Argentina and from that moment Nalbandian became the undisputed leader of the national team.
In the semi-finals, Argentina visited Slovakia and was beaten 4-1. The point for Argentina was made by David during the first round when he defeated Dominik Hrbatv.
In 2006, with renewed dreams, Nalbandian and his teammates reached the final in the Davis Cup, after beating Sweden 5-0, Croatia as visitors 3-2 (the three points that Argentina won were thanks to David) and Australia 5-0.
In the finals, they had to face Russia on their own turf, in Moscow. During the first day David clearly beat Safin in three sets. In doubles, David and Agustin Calleri were defeated by Safin and Tursunov. On the final day, with the Russians up 2-1, David showed his fighting spirit again and beat Davydenko. But David and Argentina’s dream collided with Marat Safin, who in the final match defeated Jose Acasuso leading Russia to take the Davis.
The Davis Cup does David good, mixing his talent with the feeling of defending his nation’s colors. His personal record up through the 2007 season is 20 victories and 6 losses (12-3 singles and 8-3 doubles).

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HIS PASSION FOR SPORTS AND ADVENTURE

Apart from tennis, David has other hobbies that he loves. Rally car racing is one of those passions that he has had since he was a child and it is one that he shares with his family and friends. This love for Rally led him and his friend Marcos Ligato, a rally car driver, to launch the Tango Rally Team. His team competes in the World Rally in the production category and also in the Argentine Rally.
David often gets into racing cars and likes to feel the adrenaline of speed, leading him to debut as a driver in the Master Rally in Andalgala, Catamarca province (Argentina) in 2007.
He is also a soccer enthusiast, both on and off the field—he likes to play and is also a big fan of the River Plate team.
Everything that has to do with nature entices David. He loves to go fishing especially if he is with friends.
Adrenaline and adventure have led him to face new challenges in all kinds of activities. For example, he went bungee jumping in Vienna, leaping from the 152 meter high Danube Tower and swam with sharks in Melbourne, Australia.
Polo is another of his favorites and he closely follows La Dolfina polo team. Golf is one of the other activities that he enjoys and often plays.
Since he became widely known in the world sports, he has been encouraged to leave Unquillo and move to Buenos Aires. However, he has never accepted because what he values most is in his hometown—his family and friends with whom he finds the happiness, peace and love that he needs in his life.