Davis Cup: Nadal - "Roberto was the deciding person"
Sunday night in Madrid.12.500 spectators cheer loudly in the sold-out Caja Magica the sixth title win of the Spanish Davis Cup team. Pictures, as they are known for decades of the traditional team competition in tennis. The winning photos show the logo of the Davis Cup. Much more present, however, are five other words: "The World Cup of Tennis".
by Florian Heer
last edit: Nov 25, 2019, 01:19 pm
By Florian Heer from Madrid
In the whole area of the tennis complex located on the banks of the Manzanares, the visitors encountered this lettering again and again. At the entrance, at the stalls and finally on the official merchandising products of the event. An indication that something was different this year.
Event with two faces
Much has been said and written this week about the new Davis Cup Finals. The format newly created by the World Federation ITF and Cosmos Tennis criticized partly sharp.
In fact, you can divide the last seven days in the Spanish capital into two phases: A confusing preliminary round with encounters often only half-full ranks, which were often fought well into the night and a final weekend with two victories in Spain in the context of a colorful and atmospheric atmosphere. A tension that you could hardly think better.
Emotional journey of Roberto Bautista Agut
In addition, the final was not only good tennis but also full of emotional moments away from the action on the field, especially when Roberto Bautista Agut returned to the team after the death of his father Ximo. Of the captain Sergi Bruguera the Spaniard was surprisingly nominated for the opening single and was able to win the first point for his country.
On Thursday morning, the 31-year-old from Castellón de la Plana left for the Community of Valencia to return to Madrid on Saturday afternoon to assist his team-mates in the semi-final against Great Britain.
"My father would have been mad if I had stayed home and not returned to the team. I was able to say goodbye to him and then came back, "Bautista Agut commented on his decision.
Also Rafael Nadal paid the highest respect to the quietly occurring world ranking ninth.
"I won eight matches this week, but Roberto was the deciding factor for the title. He has done inhumane. Indescribable. He will forever be a role model for me, "Nadal commented after Spain's sixth Davis Cup triumph.