On the cement at the National Stadium: Chile confirms details of Davis Cup series against Peru

Chile’s retention in the Davis Cup World Group is at stake against Peru. A series which will be played in February 2024 and which already has a confirmed venue. It will be at the National Stadium and on a cement pitch, specially designed for this duel.

It is an approach that comes from Nicolas Massú, who understands that Due to the rival and the context, playing on a fast pitch can be much more beneficial for its players who will arrive in the country after touring Australia at the start of the season.

But it was not easy, as the Chilean Tennis Federation had to take different steps to obtain permission to install temporary cement courts in the renovated tennis center at the Ñuñoa compound. The main obstacle was linked to the Pan American Games and the 60-day deadline that the Santiago 2023 Company had to deliver the National Stadium.

Eventually this was discussed and the body that governs national tennis was granted permission to build two temporary concrete courts, one on the center court and another for training. The situation was explained by the general director of the federation, Andrés Otero: “These are two temporary courts, meaning they will be built for the Davis Cup and then dismantled. The work consists of installing a protective layer on the clay support using a geotextile, in order to avoid any deterioration. Then, an area of ​​10 centimeters of H25 concrete of 800 square meters will be built, on which an adherent bridge will be built, with four layers of cushion and three layers of sports acrylic paint with its respective demarcation.

Regarding deadlines, Otero was clear. “Work will begin next week and both courts will be ready for use on January 26, three days before the regulatory deadline indicated by the ITF. And after the Davis Cup, this court will be removed and, no later than February 19, the land will be returned as it was delivered to the Federation “, added the leader, who also confirmed that the series against Peru will feature electronic calling technology, better known as ‘Hawkeye’.

The president of the Chilean Tennis Federation, Sergio Elías, expressed his satisfaction with the return of the Davis Cup to the National Stadium. “We are very happy because, in addition to returning to the central field, we have been able to offer the team the best possible surface to assert their field with the sporting advantage. I would like to personally thank the Minister of Sports, Jaime Pizarro , Undersecretary Antonia Illanes, IND Director Israel Castro, and Santiago 2023 Executive Director Harold Mayne-Nicholls for their immense commitment to making this possible. Now we hope beat Peru and advance to the Davis Cup World Group again,” he said.

The Davis Cup series between Chile and Peru will be played on February 3 and 4, 2024, in matches that will start at 6 p.m., to avoid high temperatures.