The Spanish team returns to the ATP Cup final two years later after beating Poland
Three editions of the ATP Cup have been played, the national team tournament that coexists with the Davis Cup, and Spain has reached the final in two of them. He will have the opportunity to avenge the defeat of two years ago against Serbia in 2022, thanks to a great Pablo Carreño and a fantastic Roberto Bautista who count all their matches in the competition as victories and who got rid of uncomfortable Poland this Friday (2 -0).
Without having to go to the doubles, with two victories in the singles, Spain certified their pass to the final of the tournament. With much authority and joy, as the Spanish bench, led by Tomás Carbonell, gave off when Bautista sealed the victory in a battle of almost three hours against the Polish number one Hubert Hurkacz (7-6 (6), 2-6 and 7- 6 (5). Before, Carreño had eliminated the unknown Jan Zielinski, world number 860, with much more comfort, who had to jump to the track due to the positive in covid of the Polish number two, Kamil Majchrzak. The Asturian, who has won his four games this year in the competition, he passed over Zielinski (6-2 and 6-1) and put everything in the hands of Bautista, who had before him the real challenge of the crossing.
The Castellón faced Hurkacz, a top ten with a fearsome serve and that is that he connected 24 winning aces in Australian cement. Despite the bombardment, Bautista did not lose face to the match, rallied from 1-4 in the first set tiebreaker and, after giving up the second set, tipped the Polish giant to the sixth match point.
Hurkacz survived the top five with aggression and a superb game at the net, but ran into a passing pass that he couldn’t respond to on the sixth winning chance for Bautista, who was exhausted in the post-game interview. “It is a moment that I will never forget,” said Bautista after achieving the victory in two hours and 45 minutes, his longest match of the tournament.
Spain now awaits a rival for the other semifinal, which will face Canada and Russia in the early hours of Saturday. The Canadians rely on their duo Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime to overthrow the current Davis Cup champions, Russians entrusted to their captain Daniil Medvedev. Of course, the world number two is missing from the team Andrey Rublev, with whom he conquered the salad bowl. The replacement that the Muscovite has found is Roman Safiullin, world number 167, who has won two of his three matches in this ATP Cup. The final, in any case, will be played on Sunday morning Spanish time.
Nadal, to the semifinals
Rafa Nadal will play his first semifinals of the course at the ATP 250 in Melbourne. The Spaniard had a quiet day and it is that his quarter-final duel against Tallon Griekspoor was not disputed due to the resignation due to the Dutchman’s injury. Nadal, who passed the first round as the first seed and beat Ricardas Berankis in second, will play his first semifinals since Roland Garros against Emil Ruusuvuori.
The Finnish and the Spanish know each other well and they both train at the Nadal Academy in Manacor. Despite this, this will be his first match on the circuit.
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