Spanish seal back-to-back Davis Cups in rampant style

Published on Sunday 6 December 2009 23:28

SPAIN completed a 5-0 Davis Cup final victory over Czech Republic with Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer enjoying easy singles wins yesterday.

Nadal, who set Spain on their way to victory by winning the first point against Tomas Berdych on Friday, returned to the clay court at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona to help himself to a 6-3, 6-4 win over Jan Hajek.

Ferrer, whose exhausting five-set victory over Radek Stepanek had given Spain their second point, rounded things off with a more straightforward 6-4, 6-2 win against Lukas Dlouhy, finishing off with a huge smash to the delight of the crowd.

Spain made certain of their fourth Davis Cup win when they moved into a 3-0 lead after Saturday's doubles victory for Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez against Berdych and Stepanek.

The two closing victories on Sunday made them the first team to win the final with a whitewash since Sweden beat the United States 5-0 in 1997. They are also the first country to successfully defend the title since the Swedes in 1998.

There was a slightly muted air about the celebrations when the Spanish team finally received the silver salad bowl trophy.

"It is a little strange to have to wait until today for the presentations," said Spanish captain Albert Costa. "But winning the Davis Cup two years in a row is a spectacular achievement. We should value it enormously."

It was a satisfying weekend all round for the hosts, with Nadal showing he has recovered form and fitness at the end of a trying season and Ferrer's heroic win over Stepanek providing epic drama with a happy ending for the huge crowd – and there is every reason to suppose the Davis Cup team of the decade will extend their dominance.

"To win the Davis Cup four times in nine years just says everything," said Czech No1 Stepanek. "You have a huge amount of players and tennis centres, and there's always someone coming up.

"The toughness and the team is so strong that you could even build a second team almost as strong."

The numbers back up Stepanek, with Spain boasting nine top-50 players at present.

Albert Costa had the luxury of resting world No9 Fernando Verdasco to keep him fresh for the doubles alongside Feliciano Lopez and the hardest decision the captain faced was who to leave out.

Juan Carlos Ferrero, like Costa a veteran of Spain's breakthrough triumph in 2000, played quarter-finals and semi-finals this season but found himself relegated to practice partner here, as did Tommy Robredo.

Nadal, still only 23, is clearly the team leader but they showed when he was injured at the end of last year and again this season that they can easily cope without him.

Gone too are the days when Spain would succumb at the first sign of a blade of grass or a thread of carpet. While three of their four Davis Cup successes have come on clay, they won last year's final away in Argentina on hardcourt.

It is not just the depth of talent that makes Spain such formidable opponents.

The players all speak about how much they value playing for their country and each other in Davis Cup, when for most of the year the sport is all about individual achievement, ranking points and prize money.

There is a real camaraderie which is evident at their jokey post-match news conferences and body language out on court.

"We are all very good friends and that counts for a lot," Nadal said. "And we always make ourselves available because we love representing Spain."

The task now is to prove the final victory over Argentina last year was no one-off, and that they can transfer their home-court dominance to other surfaces anywhere in the world.

RESULTS

Spain beat Czech Republic 5-0

YESTERDAY

David Ferrer (Spain) beat Lukas Dlouhy (Czech Rep) 6-4, 6-2

Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Jan Hajek (Czech Rep) 6-3, 6-4

SATURDAY

Feliciano Lopez/Fernando Verdasco (Spain) beat Tomas Berdych/Radek Stepanek (Czech Rep) 7-6 (7/5), 7-5, 6-2.

FRIDAY

David Ferrer (Spain) beat Radek Stepanek (Czech Rep) 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 8-6

Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Tomas Berdych (Czech Rep) 7-5, 6-0, 6-2