A Lesson From The ATP Cup: Anybody Could Beat Anybody

It doesn’t matter what your FedEx ATP Ranking is at the ATP Cup. The inaugural 24-team event gives you a platform to show the world what you’ve got and make your country proud.

Alexander Cozbinov did just that on Friday. Despite his career-high Ranking being No. 816 and his opponent, Steve Darcis, owning a Grand Slam victory against Rafael Nadal, there was very little to tell between the two on Ken Rosewall Arena. Although Darcis emerged victorious after three hours and 10 minutes, Cozbinov very much belonged.

Before stepping on court against two-time ATP Tour titlist Darcis, who is also Team Belgium’s captain, Cozbinov had never played a tour-level match, and he had only faced one Top 200 opponent. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas product quickly grew accustomed to the spotlight by breaking in the first game.

“In the beginning of the match, I was a little bit nervous because it was unusual conditions. I’ve never played with that many people watching. But as the match went on, I started feeling more comfortable and comfortable and actually in the middle of the second set I really liked the crowd and everything,” Cozbinov said. “I didn’t think about the outcome. I just thought that I had nothing to lose. I tried to play as best as I can. I didn’t think about win or lose, I just tried to show the best I could do.”

The 24-year-old Cozbinov arrived in Sydney with just three ATP Challenger Tour matches to his name (0-3), so this was by far the biggest crowd he had ever played in front of, and the fans embraced his efforts as he battled hard to force a decider and scrapped until the very end.

“Of course it made me excited,” Cozbinov said of competing on such a big stage. “I played as hard as I can and I tried as hard as I can because of the opportunity. Of course it was helping me to play better.”

Team Moldova’s highest-ranked player by far is World No. 46 Radu Albot, who paved the way for his country to partake in this competition. And although Cozbinov lost, Albot believes he learned an important lesson.

“It’s important what he realises, what experience he takes, and just to understand that tennis is a sport that you can beat anybody,” Albot said. “It doesn’t matter the Ranking, it doesn’t matter the age, you just need to go there, work, give your best and hopefully it will work.”

On paper, few would have predicted a three-hour battle between Darcis and Cozbinov. But Team Moldova was not worried about the result, but the effort on the court.

“I think it’s important to believe all the time that you could win. That was my advice at the beginning, just to keep fighting and playing because the game style of his opponent is not a killing game style and you can always create opportunities for yourself,” Albot said. “I’m happy that he did well. He could win that match, and this would be any better. But what could you do? Tennis is like this. There were chances, chances were not taken, and that’s it.”

Even though Cozbinov lost, it’s a moment that will stick with him and the fans for years to come. He arrived at the ATP Cup with a massive opportunity, and it took him just one match to seize it and show what he is capable of.

“It’s an amazing experience. I was very lucky to be on that court and playing against one of the best players, so of course it’s going to help me moving forward for 2020,” Cozbinov said. “I think it was a great experience, a great opportunity, but I have to keep working and keep improving my game so I can come back here again.”

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