Davis Cup glory for Spain

Rafael Nadal
12 April 2012

Rafael Nadal helped Spain clinch the Davis Cup title after bouncing back from a one-sided first set against Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro to win a four-set classic in Seville.

World number two Nadal was a 1-6 6-4 6-1 7-6 (7/0) winner in the penultimate rubber, sealing the title for his country for a fifth time after taking a 3-1 lead with one singles clash to play.

Del Potro was irresistible in the opening exchanges but Nadal quickly found his best form, levelling matters and then coasting into the lead in the third set. The fourth proved a thriller in every respect, with both men serving for the set only to be broken as the momentum ebbed and flowed throughout before Nadal dominated the tie-breaker.

After guiding Spain to victory Nadal immediately announced he will sit out their title defence in 2012.

It was a fifth world team crown for the Spanish but their hopes of making it six receded within an hour when Nadal confirmed a crammed schedule - made worse by the London Olympics - would prevent him from participating next year.

He said: "Next year I will not play. Next year is a very complex year. It's an Olympic year. I have been, for many years, one of the players that plays the highest number of games in a year, and I don't want to over play. So next year, since it's an Olympic year, my participation in the Davis Cup is impossible.

"Thank God Spain has a good level of players, and there are many good players that will replace us that play really high-level tennis."

Spain will certainly miss Nadal - his two wins over Juan Monaco and Del Potro paving the way for this success.

Nadal said: "I had some really tough moments during the match, but I was all the time believing in myself to try to win.

"I knew it was my day, it was my moment, and I had to believe more than ever. That's what I tried. For moments I played so-so; for moments I played well. But he was playing really aggressive from the baseline, fantastic shots, it was a really difficult match."

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