By Alexia Krause
PRAGUE, Czech
Republic (TheSportsNEXT) November 19, 2012: Radek Stepanek outlasted
Nicolas Almagro in a four-set thriller in front of around 14,600-people home
crowd at the O2 Arena on Sunday as Czech Republic dethroned Spain from the
Davis Cup supremacy in an exuberant fashion.
Radek Stepanek won the first set by 6-4 but found stiff
resistance in the second set but still managed to keep Nicolas Almagro at bay
and clinched the second set by 7-6.
However, the Spaniard Almagro bounced back in contention
with a strong show in the third set which he eventually won by 6-3 but failed
to keep his momentum and concentration level in the fourth set which the Czech grabbed
by 6-3 to win the final match of the Davis Cup by 6-4 7-6 3-6 6-3.
As soon as he won the final set, Stepanek jumped over the
net and was hugged by his team-mates before he raced to his wife with tears
making an ace on to his cheeks.
This is the first time for Czech Republic as an independent
country that they have won a Davis Cup title. They won it 32 years ago when
they were part of the Czechoslovakia with Ivan Lendl leading the side.
With this title, the Czech Republic also became the first
nation to win the Davis Cup, Fed Cup team trophies for men and women as well as
the mixed Hopman Cup titles in a calendar year.
Earlier in the day, David Ferrer, who is enjoying the best
form of his lifetime, stunned the local crowd when he outplayed the local
favorite Tomas Berdych by 6-2 6-3 7-5 to equalize the five-match tie at 202.
No comments:
Post a Comment