MADRID, Nov 24 — Rafael Nadal led Spain to the Davis Cup final as he and Feliciano Lopez won a thrilling late-night doubles to seal a nail-biting 2-1 victory over Britain yesterday.
Kyle Edmund gave Britain the lead with an emphatic win over the 38-year-old Lopez before Nadal levelled things up with an equally dominant display against Dan Evans.
For the second time in the day a semi-final came down to the doubles rubber and it was the Spanish left-handers who clawed out a 7-6(3) 7-6(8) victory in a match of unremitting tension.
Britain had four set points to take the match into a decider but world number one Nadal, playing like a man possessed, raised his game and dragged his country home.
When Lopez’s first serve completed the job an explosion of noise threatened to take the roof off the Caja Magica.
In their first Davis Cup final since 2012, Spain will face Canada who also won a cliffhanger earlier yesterday against Russia. Canada will be appearing in their first final.
Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil, who have played every rubber for Canada this week, clinched victory in the deciding doubles against Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov.
“I have no words, it’s unbelievable,” the 20-year-old Shapovalov said on court as Canada’s fans celebrated.
Pospisil’s incredible run of singles wins here came to an end in the opener against Rublev, the Russian winning 6-4 6-4.
Shapovalov levelled the tie when he beat Khachanov 6-4 4-6 6-4 before the Canadian duo edged the doubles 6-3 3-6 7-6(5).
Both sets of players will now have to do it all again today as a manic and exhilarating week reaches its climax. — Reuters
