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Nadal, Ferrer give Spain commanding 2-0 lead against U.S.
September 19, 2008
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Madrid, Spain (Sports Network) - The best-of-five Davis Cup semifinal between host Spain and the reigning champion United States commenced Friday, as Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer combined to give the favored Spaniards a commanding 2-0 lead heading into the weekend.
The Wimbledon, reigning four-time French Open and Olympic champion Nadal dropped the first set against Sam Querrey before rebounding for a 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 decision in the first of the opening singles rubbers. In the nightcap, a gritty Ferrer came from behind to top former world No. 1 Andy Roddick 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 1-6, 6-4, 8-6 on a temporary clay court at Madrid's Plaza de Toros Las Ventas. More than 20,000 fans packed the bullring on Day 1.
Nadal prevailed in 3 hours, 17 minutes against a game Querrey. The five-time major champion broke Querrey's big serve on four occasions, while the American could manage only one break throughout the match.
The 39th-ranked Querrey tallied 17 more winners (76-59), including 17 aces, than Nadal, but also piled up 74 unforced errors to help the world No. 1 Spaniard along.
Querrey, making his Davis Cup debut, is filling in this week for James Blake, who helped the U.S. win its first Davis Cup title in 12 years last year, but pulled out of this semifinal last week, citing exhaustion.
In the nightcap, Ferrer outlasted Roddick in 3 hours, 17 minutes, despite the fact that Roddick launched 22 aces, broke Ferrer's serve on twice as many occasions (6-3) and watched the Spaniard pile up no less than nine double faults.
Roddick appeared to take control of the match by winning sets two and three in easy fashion, but Ferrer fought back to sneak out the next two sets for the big point.
On Saturday, the doubles rubber here will pit a Spanish team of lefthanders Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco against an American duo of Mike Bryan and Mardy Fish, who joined the draw this week when it was announced that Bob Bryan would be unable to play for the U.S. due to a shoulder injury. A victory by Lopez and Verdasco would send the Spaniards into the final. The hosts only have to win one of the final three rubbers.
Sunday's reverse singles currently call for Nadal to meet Roddick and Ferrer to take on Querrey.
The Spaniards are captained by Emilio Sanchez, while Patrick McEnroe is guiding the underdog U.S.
The United States and Spain are meeting for the ninth time in their history and for the fifth time this decade. The Americans are 5-3 against the Spaniards, winning the last meeting in a World Group quarterfinal last year in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The Spain-USA winner will visit the Argentina-Russia victor in the final in November. The Argentines are playing host to the Russians in Buenos Aires.
The U.S. leads all nations with 32 Davis Cup titles and beat a visiting Russian squad in last year's finale in Portland. Spain owns two championships, including a 3-2 victory over the Americans in the 2004 final in Seville.
Source: [The Sports Network]
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