In Saturday's pivotal doubles
rubber, a tandem of lefthanders Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco topped a
duo of Agustin Calleri and David Nalbandian in four sets to give visiting
Spain a 2-1 lead over Argentina in their best-of-five Davis Cup final at
Estadio Islas Malvinas.
Lopez and Verdasco dropped the first set on Day 2 before fighting back for a
5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 decision over Calleri and Nalbandian on the indoor
hardcourt here in Mar del Plata. Argentine captain Alberto Mancini removed
Jose Acasuso from the doubles bout and replaced him with Nalbandian, who was a
singles winner here on Friday.
Spain now needs to win just one of Sunday's two reverse singles rubbers to
secure its third Davis Cup title this decade, while the Argentines need to
sweep the Day-3 singles in order to secure that elusive first-ever Davis Cup
championship.
On Saturday, the Spaniards dropped a tough first set against Calleri and
Nalbandian, but fought back to take the second and level the rubber.
In a most interesting third set, Spain jumped out to a seemingly-commanding
5-1 lead only to see the Argentines charge all the way back to forge a 5-5 tie
and ultimately force a tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, it was team Argentina that let things slip away, as Calleri-
Nalbandian blew a 5-1 lead, as the Spaniards rattled off six straight points
to stun the hosts and grab a two-sets-to-one lead.
The fourth and deciding set was never in doubt for Spain, as the visitors
roared out to a 5-2 advantage and held on to secure the crucial second point.
Lopez and Verdasco needed 3 hours, 18 minutes to prevail, which they did with
the help of six service breaks and 12 aces. The losers settled for four breaks
and 10 aces.
Sunday's singles call for Spain's David Ferrer to take on 20-year-old rising
Argentine star Juan Martin del Potro and Lopez to encounter the former
Wimbledon runner-up and former Tennis Masters Cup champion Nalbandian. The
world No. 9 del Potro, No. 11 Nalbandian and No. 12 Ferrer account for three
of the top-12 players on the planet. Lopez is ranked 31st.
On Friday here, Nalbandian spanked Ferrer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in the opening
singles rubber and Lopez then pulled Spain even with a 4-6, 7-6
(7-2), 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 stunner over del Potro.
The Spaniards, captained by Emilio Sanchez, also have Davis Cup rookie
Marcel Granollers at their disposal on Sunday. Granollers joined the squad
last week when world No. 1 superstar Rafael Nadal announced his
withdrawal, citing a knee injury. The amazing Nadal is the reigning
Wimbledon, French Open and Olympic champ.
The gritty Spaniards own a pair of Davis Cup championships, with both
coming this decade -- in 2000 and 2004. Argentina was the runner-up just two
years ago and also back in 1981.
Spain is 2-0 all-time versus Argentina, which is hosting for the first time
ever in this series. The Spaniards prevailed at home way back in 1926 and
again in 2003.
The Spaniards, who are 2-3 in their all-time Davis Cup finals and appearing
in their fourth final this decade, reached this year's final by beating the
32-time and defending champion United States 4-1 in a semifinal in Madrid,
while Argentina got past Russia 3-2 in Buenos Aires, with del Potro winning
a fifth and deciding rubber.
The Argentines have won 13 straight Davis Cup ties as the host.
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