Madrid (AFP)
Rafael Nadal was on a mission: despite a grueling season, he felt it his duty to offer his country the Davis Cup whose new format was tested this year in Madrid. And thanks to him, Spain won Sunday his 6th Silver Salad, at the expense of Canada.
Feliciano Lopez, Pablo Carreno or Marcel Granollers are failing? Never mind, Rafa is here. Roberto Bautista must go to the bedside of his dying father 400 km from Madrid? No problem, Rafa is watching. Until the end, until Sunday when he drew in his last strength to beat the very combative Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) in the second single of the final.
"It's been an incredible week, the whole team has made an incredible effort, all the players and especially Rafa," said Bautista, paying tribute to his compatriot who played the five singles and three of the four doubles played by Spain since Tuesday during this final phase of the new Davis Cup formula.
Russia, Croatia, Argentina, Great Britain and finally Canada: all were swept by the tornado Rafa, who won his 4th Davis Cup individually, after those of 2004, 2009 and 2011. Spain also won the Saladier d Silver in 2000 and 2008 (Nadal played one in the quarter and one in the half, but not the final).
"I may have won all eight games, but the person who was vital in this Cup is Roberto (Bautista): what he did is almost inhuman, he left (Thursday), his father is dead, he came back, he trained yesterday (Saturday) and today he was ready to play at the highest level, "replied Nadal after wiping a few tears on the TV Movistar.
- Surprises of the chefs -
For the final, captains Sergi Bruguera and Frank Dancevic had each expected a surprise from the leader: the first has lined up for the first single Bautista despite his family drama, and the second has launched in the battle Felix Auger-Aliassime who, injured in left ankle, announced the end of its ATP season in October.
So for his very first Davis Cup final, Canada was represented by his two young wolves, two rising stars in world tennis.
And Bautista has actually fulfilled his contract against Auger-Aliassime by winning 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 in the first singles.
"After a week so complicated, so difficult, I think that in order to get out of it, I had to face and move forward," commented Bautista on Movistar television, "today everything was difficult but I was able to surpass myself. and bring this first point to Spain ".
Moreover, once Auger-Aliassime's last bullet landed in the corridor, Bautista raised a finger and stared at the sky before exulting in a resounding "Vamos!".
Despite a World Cup format that has experienced failures and controversy - including matches that ended in the middle of the night, a lack of public blatant for some meetings and an atmosphere sometimes too quiet - this first edition of the new Cup Davis ended like in a dream for Spain: in a wall of the Caja Magica full to crack and heated to white, under the eyes of King Felipe VI, on a final point of the idol Nadal.
© 2019 AFP