Spain dominates in Davis Cup sweep
Source: Agencies |
December 7, 2009, Monday
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SPAIN lifted the Davis Cup for the second straight year yesterday after completing a 5-0 victory over the Czech Republic in the final in Barcelona.
Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer both won singles matches yesterday at the Palau Sant Jordi to complete the sweep as Spain won for the fourth time since 2000 while becoming the first nation since Sweden in 1998 to retain the title.
"I'm feeling very happy, I'm so happy for the whole team," captain Albert Costa said. "We did an incredible job the whole year."
Spain had already clinched the best-of-five series with Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco's doubles victory on Saturday. The second-ranked Nadal followed up by beating Jan Hajek 6-3, 6-4 and Ferrer beat Lukas Dlouhy 6-4, 6-2 on the indoor clay.
The 102nd-ranked Hajek replaced Radek Stepanek for the meaningless match, and the 465th-ranked Dlouhy, a doubles specialist, replaced Tomas Berdych.
Spain, which beat Argentina in last year's final, has now won 18 straight Davis Cup ties at home - stretching to 1999 - and 20 straight on clay. Both of those records will be put to the test in the first round in March when the champion faces Switzerland, which could be led by Roger Federer.
There have been 23 previous final sweeps, with Sweden's 5-0 win over the United States in 1997 the last. Spain improved to 4-2 against the Czechs, who played in their third final and first since 1980 when it won as Czechoslovakia.
It was a satisfying weekend in every way 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.
Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer both won singles matches yesterday at the Palau Sant Jordi to complete the sweep as Spain won for the fourth time since 2000 while becoming the first nation since Sweden in 1998 to retain the title.
"I'm feeling very happy, I'm so happy for the whole team," captain Albert Costa said. "We did an incredible job the whole year."
Spain had already clinched the best-of-five series with Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco's doubles victory on Saturday. The second-ranked Nadal followed up by beating Jan Hajek 6-3, 6-4 and Ferrer beat Lukas Dlouhy 6-4, 6-2 on the indoor clay.
The 102nd-ranked Hajek replaced Radek Stepanek for the meaningless match, and the 465th-ranked Dlouhy, a doubles specialist, replaced Tomas Berdych.
Spain, which beat Argentina in last year's final, has now won 18 straight Davis Cup ties at home - stretching to 1999 - and 20 straight on clay. Both of those records will be put to the test in the first round in March when the champion faces Switzerland, which could be led by Roger Federer.
There have been 23 previous final sweeps, with Sweden's 5-0 win over the United States in 1997 the last. Spain improved to 4-2 against the Czechs, who played in their third final and first since 1980 when it won as Czechoslovakia.
It was a satisfying weekend in every way 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.
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