Bring on the Brits
BBC Sport Online, February 2002After his stunning win over Tim Henman in Melbourne, Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman talks to BBC Sport Online's David Law about next week's Davis Cup clash. Anyone hoping that Sweden's Davis Cup team might arrive in Birmingham with a Grand Slam hangover next week will be sadly disappointed.
Thomas Johansson barely had time to taste his victory champagne before flying halfway around the world to join up with his Davis Cup team in Stockholm, but as Jonas Bjorkman told BBC Sport Online last night, the Swedes will be ready.
"We are really looking forward to this match," said Bjorkman, who shocked Tim Henman with victory in their fourth round clash in Melbourne.
"After a Grand Slam tournament it is great to get into a big Davis Cup tie and I heard from other players that the atmosphere in Birmingham will be awesome. By the time we arrive on Sunday we will have had two good days here in Stockholm and another few days over there, so I think we will be ok."
While Johansson is an almost certain singles starter, Bjorkman believes his own good record against both Henman and Greg Rusedski could win him the nod over the higher ranked Thomas Enqvist.
"I think I have very good chances to play," said Bjorkman, who leads Henman 5-2 and Rusedski 7-4 in personal head-to-heads.
"I think our captain Carl Hageskog will want to see how we look when we practice on the surface, but I think the head-to-head I have against Tim and Greg is going to be a very big factor. I played my best tennis in four years in Melbourne and I am still hitting the ball well now."
Bjorkman lost to Johansson in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, and knows first-hand the sort of form his countryman is in.
"I felt how good he was playing," said Bjorkman.
"I wasn't surprised he won the final. I predicted he would win because Safin didn't look like he could handle the tough conditions while Thomas was looking really physically and mentally strong."
Despite their heroics against Ecuador last September, things won't be any easier for the British duo in the doubles rubber either.
Bjorkman was the world number one doubles player last year, and sacrificed the chance to earn a share of the £220,000 pot on offer at the ATP World Doubles Challenge Cup in Bangalore this week, to join up with the Swedish team.
"The doubles rubber will be especially important in this match," said Bjorkman. "All the singles matches will be very open, so it's really important for us to win that doubles."
But British fans shouldn't despair just yet. Although form favours the Swedes, Bjorkman knows how well Henman and Rusedski can play in front of their own supporters.
"Even though we had a great result in Melboure, I think the British team will be favourites with the home advantage," said Bjorkman.
"The conditions will be quite different to Australia. The ball we had there was quite light and this time we're playing indoors in Birmingham. It will be a totally different ball game."
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