Former tennis player José Luis “Batata” Clerc has spoken with head of the Argentine Tenis Association (AAT) Héctor Romaní and offered to replace Davis Cup coach Martín Jaite after the match Argentina will play against Israel in September.
Jaite already announced he will quit the team following the match to be played in the US for Davis Cup World Group permanence.
“I would love to be considered. I spoke with Romaní and told him I want the job,” Clerc, who reached number 4 position of the ATP world ranking, told reporters.
“Batata” said he is “ready” to be the Argentine coach and affirmed he has a very good relationship with Juan Martín Del Potro, best ranked Argentine player and absent during the last Argentine presentations in the Davis Cup.
“With Juancho (Del Potro) I get a long very well. I also get a long with Davin (Franco, Del Potro’s coach in the ATP). To Juan I would just say ‘you need to play for us, no doubt about it’. He is the main player of the team and opponents fear him,” Clerc said.
Clerc added he could coach the team with the assistance of tennis legend Guillermo Vilas.
Jaite, who will leave the team after three years, has been allegedly having differences with Del Potro.
Source: Buenos Aires Herald