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Finally Spain wins first Davis Cup title
Updated: Tuesday December 12, 2000 5:53 PM
BARCELONA, Spain (CNN/SI) -- Spain won its first Davis Cup in the event's 79-year history as Juan Carlos Ferrero defeated Australian Lleyton Hewitt 6-2, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-4 for an insurmountable 3-1 lead on Sunday in the best-of-five-tie. The 20-year-old Ferrero, undefeated in his first year of Davis Cup play, made fewer errors on the red clay than the tenacious 19-year-old Australian. The victory over the 27-time and defending champions sent a 14,000 sellout -- including Spanish King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia -- into a singing, flag-waving frenzy. The victory after only two other appearances in the Davis final -- both losses to Australia in the 1960s on grass -- brings the 101-year-old silver cup to the best tennis country never to have won it. With the match in the fourth set and nearing four hours, Ferrero got the winner with a backhand passing shot down the line. The shot came on the fourth break point of the game after Ferrero had been up 15-40 and couldn't convert. He finally did on the second ad point. After the winning shot, his teammates and the four Spanish captains raced on court and piled on Ferrero, creating a minor dust bowl on the red clay surface. Then Ferrero was hoisted on the shoulders of Spain's top player this season, Alex Corretja, who circled the court and then stopped in front of the king and queen. Juan Carlos and Sofia reached over the railing and shook Ferrero's hand warmly as the crowd at Palau Sant Jordi chanted, "campeones, campeones" and sang "Que Viva Espana." On Saturday, Corretja and Joan Balcells defeated Sandon Stolle and Mark Woodforde 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to give Spain a 2-1. On Friday, Hewitt defeated Costa 3-6, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, and Ferrero won over Rafter 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-2) 6-2, 3-1 with the Australian retiring with cramps in his forearm, thigh and hip. Sunday's remaining, but meaningless, singles match scheduled between Corretja and Pat Rafter was called off with the final score remaining 3-1. "It is the third time that our nations have played against one another in a final and this time we had to come to your country to defend the cup," Australian coach John Newcombe told the 14,000 fans. "We tried our best but in the end, you were just too good." Then Newcombe issued a warning. "Next time we play, you better be prepared to play on what the cows eat -- grass." Newcombe also saluted both players in a match that lasted 3 hours 47 minutes. "Today was something was special because we saw two of the future people of the world of tennis playing in that sort of a match." Hewitt, who won his opening singles match on Friday, was subdued and a bit downcast. "Two days ago, I was saying I had the greatest feeling out on that court and now it's probably the worst feeling of my tennis career so far. ... I couldn't have asked any more of myself." "I felt if I could have got out of that fourth set I would have won the fifth." Spanish captain Javier Duarte, who is Corretja's personal coach, recognized the long efforts of many in building Spanish tennis -- including Manuel Santana, who was fired a year ago as captain. Santana did not attend the final, playing instead in a tournament in Florida. "If the coach had been Santana, [Manuel] Orantes [Jose Luis] Arilla or [Juan] Gisbert we would also have won," he admitted. Ferrero and Hewitt had met only once before with Hewitt winning 6-4, 6-2 earlier this year on hardcourts in Scottsdale, Arizona. Ferrero, emerging as one of the game's best returners, broke three of Hewitt's first four service games to establish himself early. His groundstrokes from the baseline were more consistent as he moved Hewitt all over the court. Leading 5-2, Ferrero took the 35-minute set as Hewitt hit an overhead long and then netted a backhand return. Ferrero walked off the court with his arm raised in a V-signal. Ferrero withstood Hewitt's bid to take control and won the 76-minute second set, 7-6 (7-5) with umpire Mike Morrissey constantly calling out "silencio por favor, gracias." The 20-year-old Spaniard, lashing forehands -- both the inside-out and crosscourt variety -- kept Hewitt frozen at the baseline where he simply made too many errors. He broke Hewitt in the third game of the second set to lead 2-1 when the Australian netted a forehand. But Hewitt fought back in the eighth game to make it 4-4, the first time in the match he was able to punch the air and wave his fists after landing a forehand winner to lead love-40. In the 11th game, Hewitt saved two break points to lead 6-5. His key chance came in the 12th, but he let two set points get away at 15-40, first knocking a backhand wide and then doing the same with an inside-out forehand. Ferrero won the first two points in deuce when Hewitt netted a forehand and then hit a forehand wide, forcing the tiebreaker. Hewitt, who went up 3-1 in the tiebreaker, continued to make more unforced errors as Ferrero pulled even 5-5. Ferrero took the last two points when Hewitt netted a forehand, and a forehand return. But Hewitt refused to buckle in the third set, winning 6-4. He broke Ferrero in the seventh game. Leading 15-40, he took the break when Ferrero's drop shot fell short. Hewitt closed out the 53-minute set as Ferrero returned long with the Australian walking off defiantly with his fist clenched high over his head. The fourth set stayed on serve for the first seven games. In the eighth, Ferrero broke only to have Hewitt break right back -- setting the stage for Ferrero to break again in the 10th game to settle the match and bring Spain the Davis Cup.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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