After a week of relentless tension and late-night heroics it was time for the first final in the Davis Cup’s new guise to deliver a classic and so it proved as Spain became the last nation standing of the 18 who assembled in Madrid.
The top-ranked 33-year-old Nadal fought off Canadian youngster Denis Shapovalov 6-3 7-6(7) to give Spain their first title since 2011.
Nadal won all his matches, leading Spain to its sixth Davis Cup title after a 2-0 win over first-time finalist Canada on Sunday in La Caja Magica stadium.
The Tennis world number 1 Spanish star even admitted he risked getting injured by playing eight matches — five singles, three doubles — in six days at the Davis Cup Finals, the new World Cup of men’s team tennis.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) agreed in 2018 to a radical makeover of the historic Davis Cup, opinion among players, pundits and fans has been divided.
The demise of the World Group, introduced in 1981 with home and away ties played on three separate weekends and culminating in a November final, in favor of a week-long, 18-nation event, was regarded as sacrilege by many.
Madrid was chosen as the first host for the soccer World Cup-style showpiece and this week, in La Caja Magica stadium, the 119-year-old Davis Cup has been under scrutiny like never before.
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