Davis Cup Tennis Final : Swedes Heavily Favored Despite Loss of Edberg

Anders Jarryd has replaced the injured Stefan Edberg in the Swedish lineup for this weekend’s Davis Cup final against India, but no one involved believes that the loss of the world’s No. 2 player will make a difference to the Swedes.

“Sweden has the four best clay-court players in the world,” India’s playing coach, Vijay Amritraj, said Thursday after the draw. “It makes no difference to us who’s playing.”

Mats Wilander, ranked No. 3 in the world, will play the first singles today against India’s top player, Ramesh Krishnan, ranked No. 49. Jarryd, who is No. 15, faces the 34-year-old Amritraj in the second singles.

Edberg, who twisted his right foot Monday, is scheduled to join Jarryd in Saturday’s doubles against brothers Vijay and Anand Amritraj.

The Indians are the biggest underdogs in a final since Britain faced the United States in 1978, and even Vijay Amritraj joked about his team’s chances all week. He was more serious Thursday, and even had a word of hope.

“They are supposed to win every set against us,” Amritraj said. “It will put a lot of pressure on them, and we have absolutely nothing to lose. We will give them a good match if we play as intended, and one thing’s for sure, we can’t do worse than the Americans did three years ago.”

Sweden crushed a U.S team that included John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, 4-1, in the 1984 final.