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Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) with his victorious teammates

Photographer: Sergio Carmona
Date: 12 Jul 2009

Photographer: Sergio Carmona
Date: 12 Jul 2009

Photographer: Sergio Carmona
Date: 12 Jul 2009

Photographer: Sergio Carmona
Date: 12 Jul 2009

12 Jul 2009 - Plaza de Toros de Puerto Banus, Marbella - Craig Gabriel - ESP v GER

Yet another home win for Spain

Spain has scored its 16th consecutive win at a home tie in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas. In a quarterfinal that went right down to the wire in Marbella, it defeated Germany 3-2 and the hero for the home team was Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Spain's record equals that of Russia and it is now two behind the record held by USA between 1989 and 1998. This relates back to 1981 when the World Group format was introduced to Davis Cup.

Ferrero was substituted for Tommy Robredo by the Spanish captain Albert Costa and interestingly it was Ferrero who was the star the last time Spain won a Davis Cup tie in a deciding rubber. That was in 2005 against Italy in Italy. The 29-year-old from Villena scored a 64 64 64 win in two hours and 26 minutes over Andreas Beck who had made his Davis Cup debut on the first day.

For Ferrero it was like being welcomed back. He had been in the Davis Cup wilderness for a few years as a result of illness and injury, and also the fact that players such as Rafael Nadal, Fernando Verdasco and David Ferrer had made names for themselves.

Ferrero's special magic

Costa had brought him into the fold and told him to be ready in case he could play. The captain confirmed the situation on Saturday night and Ferrero felt something special had come back to him.

“It’s amazing what I felt on the court today,” Ferrero said. “It’s a long time I didn’t play Davis Cup competition and this tie for me was very special. To come back and play the last point, I felt amazing on the court.”

He went out on court to play Beck with a glint in his eye and he was going to live up to Costa’s expectations. Ferrero played tennis as he had done in the days when he was World No. 1 and a Grand Slam champion. The ball was moving effortlessly and his experience showed up the youngster from Germany.

“This competition is amazing and to play for your country also is very special,” Ferrero said. “There is no words to explain how I feel right now but I’m pretty happy about it.”

Kohlschreiber forced a deciding fifth

Earlier, Germany had drawn level with Spain and taken the quarterfinal into a fifth and deciding rubber. Coming into the final day Spain had a 2-1 lead after the doubles rubber. However, in three hours and 59 minutes Philipp Kohlschreiber has scored one of the biggest wins of his career by beating Verdasco 64 62 16 26 86 in the middle of the bull ring in Marbella.

The crowd had been going crazy throughout the match but the end was almost anticlimactic. It was somewhat abrupt. Kohlschreiber teed off on a Verdasco serve and sent a scorching forehand winner down the line. The passing shot whizzed right past the Spaniard and in an instant the German was on his knees celebrating.

“I’m proud to play for Germany and maybe for me that’s easier; there’s lots of spectators, a great court and I find it easier to concentrate on the opponent,” Kohlschreiber said. “You have to be so ready for these matches and I’ve had some good Davis Cup wins. I see it as a step forward and it’s a pleasure playing for Germany.”

In the first set Kohlschreiber was threatening to break serve in the third and fifth games. He then had to pull out all stops to survive a break in the sixth game but the pressure he was putting on Verdasco’s serve paid dividends in the ninth game. An hour after the set started Kohlschreiber served it out on his second set point with a beautifully angled backhand cross court volley.

The second set had Kohlschreiber dominating from the third game and he opened up a 5-1 lead before taking a commanding lead in the match. But then the German seemed to suffer a let down in the third, and at the same time Verdasco found a second bit of energy. He broke in the second game and again in the fourth game, and in no time was up 5-0 before Kohlschreiber picked up a solitary game in the set.

The trend continued in the fourth set as Verdasco’s game was starting to sail as smoothly as the beautiful yachts on the water which were just about a 15 minute walk from the bull ring. Game after game fell onto Verdasco’s side of the ledger and on set point he struck a forehand winner to level the match as the crowd erupted in a roar that left one’s ears ringing.

Drum call for Verdasco

In the fifth set things went with serve in a normal manner. But in the sixth game Verdasco was facing three break points, he was at 0/40; he clawed back with the crowd chanting and clapping and the drums beating. It was an easy answer to the question did you hear the drums Fernando? Oh yes he did.

He would beat his heart with each point he won as if it were a tympani drum and when he held serve, his left arm reached for the sky like a salute. It was stunning moment. However two games later Kohlschreiber broke serve and held a match point in the tenth game but Verdasco saved it with a forehand drive volley winner.

They were back on serve but with Verdasco serving to save the match Kohlschreiber turned on the pressure and closed it out with that forehand winner for the match.

“My legs were not working like I wanted and it was so tough to play,” Verdasco said. “It is unfortunately that I lost 8-6 in the fifth but I am proud that I was able to give more than 100 percent of myself.”

Related Links on other websites
> Información en español - RFET
> Informationen auf Deutsch - DTB

Related Links on Daviscup.com
> Tie Information
> Scorecards and statistics from the tie
> Audio interviews from the tie
> Spain gets the jump on Germany
> Evenly matched in Marbella
> Heavy schedule for Verdasco
> Spanish Davis Cup team gives back

Related Audio

Interview with Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) - day 3

Interview with Fernando Versasco (ESP) - day 3

Interview with Andreas Beck (GER) - day 3

Interview with captain Patrik Kuhnen (GER) - day 3

If you cannot hear the audio, then please update your media player by following one of the links above.

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