Nadal Leads Spain to Davis Cup Win

In front of a Spanish crowd, Rafael Nadal ends his tennis season on the highest of notes as he led Spain to its 3rd Davis Cup championship in 4 years and 5th Davis Cup trophy overall. He clinched the win by taking out a determined, but outmatched Juan Martin Del Potro who took the King of Clay to a fourth set tiebreak, but no further.

It was always going to be an uphill climb for the four-time finalist Argentina to beat this Spanish team on their beloved clay. They went down 0-2 on the first day when Nadal demolished Juan Monaco and David Ferrer gutted out another heart-breaker for Del Potro in five sets. Argentina kept their hopes alive when David Nalbandian and Eduardo Schwank whooped the listless doubles team of Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez on the second day. But Nadal stepped up on the final day coming back from losing the first set to win.

This win should set Nadal up nicely for next year after a generally disappointing post-US Open fall season. Lest we forget, Novak Djokovic used his Davis Cup success at the end of last year as the jumping off point for his brilliant 2011. As for Del Potro, it was a tough weekend for him, but he more than held his own against two of Spain's best in his least favored surface. With some rest and time, he will definitely be a force to be reckoned with next year. Speaking of next year, unfortunately, that's just a few weeks away. So much for the tennis off-season!

Davis Cup Recap and Draw

This past weekend, less than a week from the thrilling and physical Monday US Open final, the top men had to play Davis Cup prompting a few players, namely Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal, to comment on the crazy scheduling issues that has plagued the tour for years. Maybe it should've been top seed and US Open champion Novak Djokovic who spoke out since his incapability to play cost the defending champions Serbia to default against a determined Argentinian team. Led by Juan Martin Del Potro and David Nalbandian, Argentina took a 2-1 lead on the third day that forced the hand of Djokovic and Serbia. Motivated by hubris or carelessness, an injured Djokovic was substituted in and promptly had to retire in the middle of the second set giving Argentina the win and Djokovic his only third loss for the year.

Argentina will look to get its very first Davis Cup championship by facing Spain in the finals. Led by a superb Nadal at home on his beloved clay, Spain dominated their semifinal clash with France over the weekend. The French did well to handily take the doubles with the help of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, but Spain was just impenetrable in the singles.


Roger Federer led his Swiss team against a very tough Australian team in one of the World Group Play-off matches that also took place over the weekend. Federer needed to win both of his matches, which he did, to level 2-2 after Stan Wawrinka lost his first match and both of them lost their doubles. The final match between Wawrinka and Lleyton Hewitt would determine the winner of the tie and it was literally down to the wire with the epic match being suspended at 5-3 in the fifth set due to darkness. When they reconvened the next day, Wawrinka was able to break Hewitt's serve to put Switzerland back to the World Group next year.

Speaking of, the draws for next year's World Group ties were held today at Bangkok, Thailand. Nadal-led Spain will meet first-time World Group contender Kazakhstan at home while Del Potro and the Argentinians will travel to Germany for a tricky match-up with them. Djokovic will take on Robin Soderling when the Serbians travel to Sweden while the American team of Mardy Fish, John Isner, and possibly Andy Roddick will go to Switzerland to face Federer and his team. Other first round match-ups include Russia-Austria, France-Canada, Italy-Czech Republic, and Japan-Croatia.

Serbia Wins First Davis Cup Title

Led by a strong Novak Djokovic, Serbia wins its first Davis Cup title edging out 9-time champion France in the finals.

Even though it was the country's first final, many had felt that Serbia was the overwhelming favorite heading into this weekend's final. So when Gael Monfils defeated Janko Tipsarevic in straight sets during the first match, it was a bit of a surprise. Djokovic made sure to win his first match against Gilles Simon to get Serbia level after day one. The match of the weekend, however, was the next day in doubles when Nenad Zimonjic partnered up with Viktor Troicki to go up 2-0 in sets against Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra, one set away from having a 2-1 lead heading into day 3. The French team, however, staged a monumental comeback to win it in an exhausting and thrilling five-set match.

With his country's fate on the line, Djokovic once again showed his consistency as team captain to level by defeating Monfils. It all came down to the fifth and final game against Troiki and Llodra, who both took part in that exhausting doubles game the day prior. Youngster Troiki, however, bolstered by his hometown crowd kept focus and destroyed Llodra giving Serbia its first Davis Cup title, the 13th country to win this tournament.

While Troicki provided the final win and Djokovic went undefeated in Davis Cup singles play, Tipsarevic and Zimonjic won important matches throughout the year to help them reach this stage. These four men together won Serbia this award, plain and simple, winning against USA, Croatia, and the Czech Republic. The only thing left to do was keep an old promise to shave their heads after they win. They did so, like champions.

And thus begins the incredibly short tennis off-season. See you in like 2-3 weeks.

Davis Cup 2010: First Round

The Academy Awards wasn't the only thing happening this weekend. Davis Cup was also being played around the world. Here is how it all went down.

Argentina d. Sweden 3-2

Top ten player Robin Soderling won both of his rubbers for Sweden, but with the score tied at 2-2, David Nalbandian gutted out a four-set win for Argentina.

Spain d. Switzerland 4-1

Stepping in for absent Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, David Ferrer and Stanislas Wawrinka both won in the first day for their respective countries. Day 2 and 3, however, went Spain's way as the defending champion moves on.

Russia d. India 3-2

As expected, Russia dominated in the first day while India took doubles in the second. It was up to Mikhail Youzhny to clinch it for Russia on the third day and he did.

France d. Germany 4-1

France headline by Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, dominated the match up winning the first three games rendering the next two matches dead rubbers.

Serbia d. United States 3-2

Second ranked Novak Djokovic won both of his matches against Sam Querrey and John Isner to lift Serbia to the next round. The United States had to do without Andy Roddick, James Blake, and Mike Bryan.

Chile v. Israel 3-1

With a 2-1 advantage heading into the third day, Fernando Gonzalez beat Dudi Sela in straight sets in the fourth rubber to hand Chile the win.

Czech Republic d. Belgium 4-1

Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek both won in singles in the first day and then partnered to win doubles on the second day to give the Czech Republic the win.

Croatia d. Ecuador 5-0

Nicolas Lapentti took Ivo Karlovic to five sets in the first rubber, but still lost to the big man. Croatia then went on to dominate the rest of the tournament.

Spain Defends Davis Cup Title

Rafael Nadal, without a title since May, led Spain against the Czech Republic dominating them in the Davis Cup final.

Back home in Spain and in his beloved clay surface, Nadal put the beat down on Tomas Berdych in the first match 7-5, 6-0, 6-2. David Ferrer edged out Radek Stepanek for the second live rubber in an epic 5-set comeback 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 8-6. Spain won in doubles the next day to clinch the title. They also went on to win the next day's two dead rubbers putting their tally at 5-0.

2008 Davis Cup champion Spain becomes the first country to defend their Davis Cup title since 1998 when Sweden did it. This is the fourth time Spain has won in this decade. This year they faced and defeated Serbia, Germany, Israel, and the Czech Republic. Their first round match next year will be against Switzerland and possibly Roger Federer.

Davis Cup: Quarterfinals

This past weekend, the quarterfinals were played for Davis Cup. Here is how it all went down.

Czech Republic d. Argentina

Top 20 players Tomas Berdych (CZE) and Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) won the first two rubbers respectively giving both their countries a win. Berdych then teamed up with Radek Stepanek for doubles to put their country ahead. Del Potro then secured the must-win fourth rubber against Berdych to take it to the deciding rubber where Stepanek was able to claim the win for Czech Republic against Juan Monaco.

Croatia d. United States

Missing Andy Roddick, the USA team had to make due. James Blake (USA) and Mardy Fish were pushed to five sets against Ivo Karlovic (CRO) and Marin Cilic and lost. With the USA down 2-0, it was up to the Bryan Brothers to save face and they did. It was then up to James Blake to win in the fourth rubber to keep the USA alive. Alas, Blake continued his awful few weeks by losing in four sets to Cilic and thus giving Croatia the win. Bob Bryan was able to get another win for the USA in the dead rubber.

Israel d. Russia

It was David and Goliath when powerhouse Russia battled with underdog Israel except when the results came it's as if it was the other way around. Israel shocked the world when Harel Levy (ISR) and Dudi Sela put their country ahead 2-0 and they shocked even more when the clinched the win by beating Marat Safin (RUS) and Igor Kunitsyn in doubles. Russia got its sole win when Sela retired in the fourth rubber. Levy won his second match giving Israel a convincing 4-1 win and a first-time trip to the semifinals.

Spain d. Germany

Even without Nadal, Spain had lots of talented players to pinch hit, but they definitely struggled. Fernando Verdasco (ESP) won the first rubber while Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) won the second. When Spain won the third rubber, it looked like a done deal but Kohlschreiber then defeated Verdasco in the fourth to take it to the deciding final rubber. It was there that a resurgent Juan Carlos Ferrero won in straight sets to claim the win for Spain.

Can Israel continue its dream Davis Cup year having beating former winners Sweden and Russia by beating defending champion Spain? Who will come out in the slugfest between Croatia and Czech Republic? These questions will be answered in September. Stay tuned.