Fernando Verdasco was the hero
on Sunday, as the lefthander outlasted fellow slugger Jose Acasuso to give
visiting Spain an insurmountable 3-1 lead in its best-of-five Davis Cup final
against Argentina. The Spaniards won their third Davis Cup title in nine
years.
Sunday's schedule called for the reverse singles on Day 3 at Mar del Plata,
and in the first, and only, rubber of the day, Spain got the huge victory from
Verdasco, who was inserted into the lineup in place of an out-of-form David
Ferrer. Acasuso also played as a replacement, as he got the call instead of
rising 20-year-old star Juan Martin del Potro from Argentine captain Alberto
Mancini, but things didn't quite work out for the stunned hosts. Del Potro was
unable to go due to a leg strain suffered here on Friday.
The 25-year-old Verdasco needed 3 hours, 56 minutes to outlast a game Acasuso
6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, as Acasuso finally ran out of gas in the fifth
set. The Argentine required some medical attention for a stomach muscle strain
early in the final stanza, one that was dominated by his talented Spanish
counterpart.
Acasuso, who was removed from Argentina's doubles lineup in favor of David
Nalbandian here on Saturday, also suffered a devastating defeat in a deciding
fifth rubber against Russian Marat Safin in the 2006 Davis Cup final in
Moscow.
Spain, captained by Emilio Sanchez, captured its third Davis Cup title this
decade, with the other wins coming in 2000 and 2004. Spain becomes the seventh
nation to win the coveted chalice at least three times.
The world No. 16 Verdasco won despite piling up nine double faults and being
out-aced 14-5. He did, however, break the 48th-ranked Acasuso's serve a
whopping nine times, compared to five breaks for the Argentine loser, who also
tallied 16 more unforced errors (47-31) in the hard-fought setback.
The tense Verdasco victory prompted a wild on-court celebration for some
jubilant Spaniards.
"This is the most beautiful day of my life," said Verdasco, after he emerged
from the surge of red-clad bodies that had piled onto the court to embrace
him. "Playing for my country, against the best players, it's a dream."
Sunday's scheduled fifth and final rubber between Nalbandian and Spaniard
Feliciano Lopez was not played, as the tie concluded at 3-1.
Spain headed into Sunday with a surprising 2-1 lead after winning the pivotal
doubles rubber in four sets. A tandem of Verdasco and Lopez got the big point
by handling an Argentine duo of Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri in four sets on
Day 2 after the two nations split Friday's opening singles. On Day 1,
Nalbandian whipped Ferrer in straight sets to get Argentina going, but Lopez
then stunned del Potro in four to level the tie.
Including singles and doubles this week, both Verdasco and Lopez were a
perfect 2-0 for the visitors on the indoor hardcourt at Estadio Islas
Malvinas.
A disappointed Argentina is still seeking that elusive first-ever Davis Cup
championship. The three-time finalists also had runner-up finishes in 1981 and
2006.
The Spaniards captured the title here despite playing without world No. 1
superstar Rafael Nadal, who pulled out last week due to a knee injury. Nadal
was replaced on the team by Marcel Granollers, who did not play here.
Spain is now 3-0 all-time versus Argentina, which was hosting for the first
time ever in this series. The Spaniards prevailed at home way back in
1926 and also in 2003.
Team Spain, which is now 3-3 in its all-time Davis Cup finals and
appeared in its fourth final this decade, reached this year's final by
beating the 32-time and defending champion United States 4-1 in a
semifinal in Madrid, while Argentina got past Russia 3-2 in Buenos Aires,
with del Potro winning a fifth and deciding rubber.
The Argentines had won 13 straight Davis Cup ties as a host, dating back to
1998.
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