He was a lucky boy though, because he was born in the family of a millionaire. And when, in 1899, together with three fellow students started a prize draw among the top men’s tennis teams in the world, voluntarily assumed all costs for the purchase of the Cup. Ordered silver rarity had cost fabulous at the time the sum of $ 750. In the first and immediately the final match of the 1900 team USA, which Udachnaya was made by Davis, defeated accepted the challenge of the British. The competition was great, and the names wore nondescript. And only in 1945 after the death of Dwight Davis Cup was named after its founder.
Working on a book on the history of world war II, often came across the name of Dwight Davis, a military Minister of the United States. But to imagine that the tennis player turned Minister, had not occurred. And only recently it dawned confirmed: Yes, it’s that guy from Harvard. Here to what heights he rose tennis player! Now for the Davis Cup beating the players from almost a hundred countries.
for many years helped his friend Shamil Tarpishev: he was the press officer of the tennis team of Russia. In 1987, sitting in my apartment, heard from Shamil solemn oath: I’ll soon take the Davis Cup. Soon – not soon, but in 2002, Russia played France in the final in Paris “Bercy”. The composition selected is fantastic – Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Marat Safin, and with such idols in the deepest reserve and the young rookie Mikhail Youzhny.
But the Davis Cup is always a story with an unpredictable ending. It’s as in individual tournaments. The kings are inferior to the jacks that are fighting for the Cup, especially at home, with vehemence. In short, after the first two days we were inferior to the French – 1:2 and statistics out that the home team in this scenario a team victory from the grasping, greedy hands was not released. And then, unfortunately, did not play in the first issue of Yevgeny Kafelnikov.
he was near the team bench, grieved. The match came thousands of fans from Russia. I was not allowed passage: “What? Why? Thinking about Shamil?” Lectured straight from the podium of the huge-liter jar of caviar, was asked to go in the locker room for the guys to eat. “Yes, you put the eggs away,” the Tile was furious. Guys chewed the dried fish, scraping silvery rind powerful blows on the table. Something has been brewing. And that told me Shamil: “Remove Kafelnikov. Not in the form. Tomorrow will play the South”. Tried to talk, said that will be trampled if rookie Mike lose. Shamil shook his head.
the next day, when the team score was 2:2, Mikhail Youzhny lost in the fifth decisive match two sets. Shamil was calm: “Now is going to win.” And the miracle happened. These miracles and glorious Davis Cup.
don’t forget me mi��sky match in February 2004. Belarus, for the first time broke into the world’s strongest group, took Russia. The events seen and felt with all my heart from the inside. Some of our players underestimated the opponent. Marat Safin suddenly stubborn, want to fly to Minsk by plane. And, strange to say, one of the lovers of the game immediately gave him his personal jet.
In the first match of the first number of owners Vladimir Voltchkov got serious as we all thought, injured and barely left the court. But in the second a cool greenhouse Maxim Mirny unexpectedly won in five difficult sets, the finalist of the tournament “Grand slam” in Australia, Safina. Then the score became 2:2. Say, he did not see, on the eve of Marat so very fond of tasting all sorts of national dishes of Belarusian cuisine and in the last, fifth match captain Tarpischev replaced Safina. And then on the court appeared… Volchkov. Even before I saw him barely walking along with a cane. But the doctors have done wonders, and on the third day he broke our Misha Youzhny in three sets.
We returned to Moscow by overnight train, when suddenly about two o’clock in the dormitory car ran: where is Dolgopolov? Urgently to Tarpishev. I ran, but was called not me, and the doctor-the namesake. The poor Shamil Tarpischev felt bad, he always had a hard time of failure.
A peaceful and tops in the draw and defeated the Argentines – 5:0 and only in the semi-finals on another court in Charleston lost to the Americans.
it is No accident in this article, reference is Shamil Tarpischev. He can rewrite tennis Chapter in the Guinness Book in many ways. But in this treasured Tome include only those who have already retired from active sports. And the current captain Shamil Tarpischev to Tarpishev, born in 1948, is not the case.
He continues to break records: was the captain of the teams of the USSR and Russia in 147 matches of the Davis Cup and the Federation Cup, having won 98 victories – 61 in the Davis Cup and 37 in the Federation Cup. Here and close to him no one in this XXI century nobody will catch up. And then will see. His teams won six Trophies: two men’s Davis Cup and four women of the Federation Cup. Twice in one year, that is, two and two his men’s and women’s teams in the Davis Cup and the Federation Cup. 43 (!) years, 25 years, Shamil Tarpischev – head coach. 26 – first match as captain of the Davis Cup.
