Argentina counting on Maradona for Davis Cup support

MOSCOW, Nov 28 (Reuters) Argentina Davis Cup captain Alberto Mancini said today he was counting on the support of soccer great Diego Maradona to give his team a boost in this weekend's final against hot favourites Russia.

Asked by Reuters if he knew of Maradona's plans to attend the December. 1-3 showdown at Moscow's Olympic arena, Mancini just smiled: ''I think he'll be on court with us on Friday.

''Seriously speaking, we heard the same thing that you already know, that he was planning to come to Moscow.

''We hope that he comes to give us his support. He is still our country's greatest athlete and it would be great for our young team to have him here,'' Mancini said.

His opposite number Shamil Tarpishchev said the Russians would counter with their own brand of VIP support.

Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, a big tennis fan, has attended all of his country's Davis Cup home matches in recent years.

''It's quite possible that all our leaders, current and former, will attend,'' said Tarpishchev, referring to the incumbent President Vladimir Putin.

NO HANGOVER Tarpishchev said his players have recovered from celebrating Nikolay Davydenko's wedding. ''The hangover is gone, so they should be ready to play,'' said Tarpishchev.

Davydenko, who married his long-time sweetheart Irina Vasina last Saturday, said: ''It (wedding) is all in the past now.

''I had a little rest on Sunday, then from yesterday on we've been just training,'' added the world number three.

''I'm not thinking about the marriage, at least for now. The honeymoon can wait too.'' Mancini said the visitors did not consider themselves underdogs and were happy with the court.

''Of course, we would prefer clay, but we're quite happy with carpet,'' he said.

''The surface is not as fast as we feared it would be.'' Argentine number one David Nalbandian, who played in a 3-2 semi-final defeat by Russia four years ago in Moscow, sounded confident his team would come on top this time round.

''I feel very comfortable right now,'' said the world number eight. ''We were a bit unlucky not to win in 2002, but we've gained valuable experience from that clash.

''I can play all three days if I have to,'' he added.

''But our team is not just me, we have other very capable players and everyone will do their best for Argentina to win.'' REUTERS PDS RK1958