Spain set up semis clash with France
PARIS: Spain set up a Davis Cup semi-final against holders France with a dramatic fightback against Germany in Valencia on Sunday.
Spain’s David Ferrer battled to a marathon 7-6 (7/1), 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-5 victory over Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber to finish the job.
Earlier, world No.1 Rafael Nadal of Spain thrashed Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 to draw the tie level at 2-2.
Two breaks in each set were enough for Nadal to seal an impressively comfortable victory over world No.4 Zverev in what was only the 31-year-old’s second outing since returning from a hip injury. Nadal said after the match he is still regaining sharpness.
“The first set was fantastic,” Nadal said. “There were times when I lost a bit of control because the match was tough, I had not competed for a long time and to maintain the level of the first set was complicated for me.
“But in general it was a very important match and I am very happy.”
Ferrer, 36, showed all of his trademark never-say-die qualities to keep Spain’s hopes of a sixth Davis Cup title alive.
“It is an unforgettable day, a very special day,” Ferrer said. “I do not know how I have done it, I have tried to give it my all, this competition is the best that has happened to me in my life.”
Elsewhere, defending champions France booked a home semi-final against Spain as Lucas Pouille claimed a hard-fought win over Fabio Fognini in Genoa to give the visitors a 3-1 victory in the tie.
Croatia will host the United States in the other semi-final in September, after Marin Cilic thrashed Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 6-1, 6-1, 6-1 in Varazdin.
The world number three had already cruised past Dimitry Popko in straight sets
on Friday, and Sunday’s win wrapped up a 3-1 last-eight success for the hosts.
“From the beginning till the end I played on a rather high level ... constant pressure, superior, aggressive,” former US Open champion Cilic said.
The US were the only team to progress without losing a rubber, after Jack Sock and Ryan Harrison’s doubles win over Belgian debutants Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen on Saturday. Last year’s losing finalists Belgium struggled without their top-ranked players David Goffin and Steve Darcis.