Inspired Nadal delivers Davis Cup triumph

Updated December 05, 2011 08:31:00

Rafael Nadal ended a relatively barren year on a thrilling high when he battled back from a set down to beat Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro and secure Spain's fifth Davis Cup triumph.

After demolishing Juan Monaco in Friday's singles, the 10-times grand slam champion, overshadowed by world number one Novak Djokovic in 2011, had a tougher time on his beloved clay against an inspired Del Potro but rallied to snuff out the South American nation's bid for a first title in its fourth final.

The lanky Del Potro, nicknamed the tower of Tandil after his birthplace, had fully recovered from his five-set defeat by David Ferrer in Friday's singles and delighted the raucous away fans with a fearsome display of hitting to take the first set.

However, he ran out of steam at the crucial moment and lost the fourth-set tiebreak 7-0 in a 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 defeat that sparked wild celebrations among the home support at the purpose-built indoor court at Seville's Olympic Stadium.

Nadal's victory, his 16th in 16 Davis Cup singles matches on his favoured surface, gave Spain an unassailable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five tie as the favourite secured its third title in four years.

It was Spain's second Davis Cup final victory over Argentina following success in Mar del Plata in 2008 and it also claimed the enormous trophy, known in Spanish as the 'salad bowl', by beating Czech Republic in Barcelona in 2009.

"This is a very good way of finishing after a long year," Nadal, who won just three singles titles in 2011, his fewest number in seven years, told a news conference, before announcing that he was not planning to play Davis Cup in 2012.

"Next year, since it's an Olympic year, my participation in the Davis Cup is impossible," said the 25-year-old, who has repeatedly called for the crowded tennis calendar to be overhauled.

"For the time being, let's enjoy today. It's not the most appropriate time to talk about the future but of course next year I will not play the Davis Cup."

Argentina was 2-0 down after Friday's singles before David Nalbandian and Eduardo Schwank thrashed Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco in Saturday's doubles to keep the tie alive.

Given the enormity of the task he faced - Nadal has only lost one best-of-five match on clay in his career - it was no surprise when Del Potro made a nervous and error-strewn start to the match.

He twice double-faulted in the opening game, the second time on break point, to gift Nadal the lead but broke back immediately when the Spaniard missed an attempted drop shot and held serve for a 2-1 lead.

A section of rowdy light blue and white-clad Argentina fans held up play several times on Nadal's next service game and Del Potro and captain Tito Vazquez had to make the first of several appeals for calm.

Nadal was also showing signs of nerves and his opponent took full advantage, thumping winners with his fearsome forehand and breaking the Mallorcan's serve twice more for a 5-1 lead before taking the set with a backhand pass.

It was the first time Nadal had dropped a set in 10 Davis Cup singles matches since September 2008.

Nadal's family and team-mates were looking edgy at the side of the court but world number two rediscovered his form in the second set and a huge roar echoed around the giant arena when he converted a smash and broke to level the match.

The Spanish fans leapt to their feet again when Nadal broke for a 5-1 lead in the third set with a brilliant whipped forehand pass on the run that curved just inside the line and he served out to love to move ahead for the first time.

Del Potro looked beaten when Nadal claimed an early break in the fourth set but the 2009 US Open champion battled on to force the tiebreak.

That marked the end of his brave challenge, though, and he failed to win another point.

Nadal sealed victory with a trademark forehand winner down the line before embracing his opponent at the net as his team-mates danced on the nearby court and Spanish King Juan Carlos celebrated in the stands.

"The very little energy I had, I had to put it in the court with the help of the crowd, with the help of my team," Del Potro told a news conference.

"I felt that once again I was very close to winning," the 23-year-old added.

According to Davis Cup rules, if the tie is decided after the fourth rubber and that match lasts at least four sets, the final singles is not contested.

Reuters

Tags: sport, tennis, spain, argentina

First posted December 05, 2011 07:11:32

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Federer cut down by inspired Tsonga

Updated June 30, 2011 10:10:00

Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga shredded the Wimbledon script with a devastating fightback to knock six-times champion Roger Federer out and clinch a semi-final showdown against Novak Djokovic.

Federer's unlikely 3-6, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 capitulation on a stunned Centre Court was the first time he had lost a grand slam match from two sets up and meant there would be no repeat of the semi-final line-up at the French Open in which the world's leading quartet faced off.

The other usual suspects will be present although defending champion Rafa Nadal had painkilling jabs to numb the pain of a mystery foot injury before a 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 defeat of American Mardy Fish to set up a repeat of last year's semi-final against Briton Andy Murray.

Fourth seed Murray, who also lost to Nadal in the French Open semis this month, outclassed unseeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to the delight of the home crowd dreaming of a first British men's singles winner for 75 years.

Federer's defeat in the quarter-finals for the second consecutive year came completely out of the blue.

The 29-year-old Swiss has been in sublime form during the championships and was strongly fancied to win a seventh Wimbledon title to match the feat of American Pete Sampras.

The first two sets resembled nothing more than a light sparring session for Federer as he went through his silky repertoire to build a commanding lead.

His title bid began to disintegrate, though, as Tsonga broke in the fifth game to halt Federer's momentum and he overpowered the 16-times grand slam champion with a stunning display of fearless tennis.

"I felt so good on the court. I was quick. I was just perfect today," Tsonga told reporters after only his second comeback from a two-set deficit.

"Every time I was feeling like a dream."

Distant but defiant

A strangely distant Federer seemed resigned to his fate as Tsonga roared past him and he was sanguine despite a defeat that raises question marks about his ability to add to his record haul of major silverware.

"Except the score, many many things went right," Federer, who played better than he did in last year's quarter-final defeat by Tomas Berdych, told reporters.

"I thought I played a good match myself. I'm actually pretty pleased with my performance today. It's kind of hard going out of the tournament that way, but unfortunately it does happen sometimes."

Federer insisted he is not a spent force and can capture another major title.

"I think I definitely can, yes. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't the case," he said.

"I'm healthy. Even though I took a tough loss today, I don't feel discouraged in any way. I'll work harder than ever and hopefully come back extremely strong for Davis Cup next week and then the American summer again."

Before Wednesday, Federer had boasted a 178-0 grand slam win-loss record when winning the first two sets.

His only defeats from two sets to love up had come against Lleyton Hewitt in the 2003 Davis Cup final and in the 2005 Masters in Shanghai against David Nalbandian.

Nadal must win the title to have any chance of remaining at number one but rankings were last thing on his mind as he admitted the foot that needed an MRI scan after his last-16 victory over Juan Martin del Potro was worrying him.

"Very happy to be in semi-finals, first thing, but my foot is not fine," the 25-year-old told reporters after a relatively comfortable win over the American number one.

"But we are in quarter-finals of Wimbledon. Is an emergency, so I had to play," added Nadal, who said the anaesthetic had numbed his foot for five hours.

"I am not scared because I know I have to try my best for the rest of the tournament. That's what I gonna do. And I'm ready to play."

The women return to the spotlight on Thursday when Maria Sharapova takes on Germany's Sabine Lisicki in the semi-finals and Petra Kvitova plays Victoria Azarenka.

-AFP/Reuters

Tags: sport, tennis, united-kingdom, england

First posted June 30, 2011 06:27:00

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