World Tennis News - Czech Republic battle to Davis Cup title

Czech Republic battle to Davis Cup title

Radek Stepanek and Tomas Berdych claimed a hard fought 3-2 triumph for the Czech Republic against Spain in the 100th Davis Cup final in Prague.

World No.5 David Ferrer began the tie with a win for defending champions Spain with a straightforward 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Stepanek to give the visitors the lead.

Czech No.1 Berdych levelled proceedings with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3 victory over Nicolas Almagro.

Down two sets to one the Spanish No.2 raced into a 5-0 lead in the crucial fourth set tie-break before levelling the match with an ace.

However in the decider Berdych saved two break points in the opening game and then got the better of three consecutive breaks of serve to seal a hard earned win in just under four hours.

Day two saw a hard fought four set winor Berdych and Stepanek over Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez, recent winners of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

The Czech pairing hit back from a set down to come through 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-3 and give the hosts a crucial advantage heading into the final day.

In the clash of the No.1s it was Ferrer who won his 76th singles match of the year by sweeping past a tiring Berdych 6-2, 6-3, 7-5.  With matters level at two rubbers all the stage was set for a thrilling conclusion.

Heading into the deciding rubber Stepanek had won two of three previous meetings with Almagro but it was the Spaniard who prevailed in their first round clash at September’s US Open.

Stepanek edged the first set 6-4 after a break in the tenth game.  In a dramatic second set Almagro led 4-2 before losing the break and then fended off four set points for Stepanek to force a tie-break.

Despite a fall on the opening point, the Czech No.2 roared through the breaker 7-0 to give the hosts a two sets to love advantage.

Almagro struck back with a strong third set and a break in the sixth games proved to be decisive. Two sets to one to the Czechs.

Former World No.8 Stepanek broke in the second game of the fourth set and maintained the advantage to the delight of the home crowd.

Serving for the title at 5-3 the 33 year-old converted his first match point after three hours and 52 minutes when Almagro netted his final backhand.

Victory gives the Czech team a second Davis Cup crown but first as an independent nation.  They are the first country to simultaneously hold the Davis Cup, Fed Cup and Hopman Cup titles. Read about the Czech Republic’s recent Fed Cup victory here 

Stat Attack – Czech Republic

• The Czechs had not beaten Spain since the 1971 Europe Zone A final and lost 5-0 in the 2009 final
• With a 12-1 record in Davis Cup doubles Berdych and Stepanek are the Czech’s most successful pairing
• Stepanek is the first man aged 30 or over to win a decisive fifth rubber in 100 years

Stat Attack – Spain

• Spain have won five of nine Davis Cup finals – it was only their second loss in the final since 1967
• Ferrer holds a 23-4 record in Davis Cup singles rubbers and has won 18 of his last 19 matches