Feliciano Lopez and Rafael Nadal (right) clinch Spain's 2-1 win against Great Britain by beating Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski in the Davis Cup semifinals. (Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal led the charge for Spain once again on Saturday, helping Spain battle past Great Britain 2-1 to reach the country’s 10th Davis Cup final.
Nadal and Feliciano Lopez struggled to beat Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski 7-6(3), 7-6(8) to clinch the tie in its deciding rubber, marking the second straight knockout tie in which Nadal competed for Spain in a deciding doubles rubber.
Nadal, who has won all four of his singles matches this week, and Marcel Granollers eliminated Argentina by defeating Maximo Gonzalez and Leonardo Mayer on Friday.
“It was very close,” Nadal said according to DavisCup.com. “I think we played a great match. Feli served amazing and I think in the important moments he did everything well. We are super, super happy, [it] has been an amazing and unforgettable evening for all of us.”
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Spain will play in the Davis Cup final for the first time since 2012, as the country pursues its sixth title.
Former World No. 14 Kyle Edmund got Great Britain off to a strong start in the tie by dismissing reigning Fever-Tree Championships titlist Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 7-6(3).
And although Daniel Evans put on a valiant effort to stay on serve through nine games against Nadal, the world No. 1 clobbered the Brit 6-4, 6-0, leveling the tie at 1-1.
Nadal wasn’t the only lefty force at the Caja Magica in Madrid on Saturday, as Denis Shapovalov also came through in both singles and doubles, helping Canada defeat Russia 2-1 to advance to the final of the Davis Cup for the first time.
Russian Andrey Rublev continued his strong performance this week with a 6-4, 6-4 win against Canadian Vasek Pospisil in the semifinal’s first rubber.
Rublev won all four of his singles matches this week, dropping only one set.
But Shapovalov rallied, battling past Russian No. 1 Karen Khachanov 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to force a deciding doubles rubber.
And once there, Shapovalov and Pospisil dug deep, beating Khachanov and Rublev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5). The victory came one day after Khachanov and Rublev won a final-set tie-break against Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki to eliminate Serbia in the quarterfinals.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Shapovalov said according to DavisCup.com. “It’s incredible how far we’ve come this week, with me and Vasek playing on a different level. It’s unbelievable to see. And to clinch it like this, in the doubles, I wouldn’t have it any other way.” (ATP)
