Spain's Triumph to Advance in the Davis Cup

Without Carlos Alcaraz and Alejandro Davidovich, but with a heroic group, Spain qualified for their first Davis Cup semifinals in six years. The victories of Jaume Munar in the second singles match of the day, and Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martínez in the doubles, overcame Pablo Carreño's initial defeat and secured David Ferrer's team a place in the tournament's semifinals, which will take place this Saturday, not before 12:00 PM.

A feat considering the two significant absences the team faced, but Ferrer knew this group deserved this opportunity after they defeated Switzerland in February and Denmark in September.

Another comeback, moreover, after the day began with a setback following Pablo Carreño's defeat to Jakub Mensik (7-5, 6-4). The Asturian, who hasn't won an ATP-level match since the tie against Denmark, played a great match but was met with 22 winners and twenty aces from the Czech, who was flawless on serve and overpowered Carreño, Ferrer's emergency solution in the absence of Alcaraz.

With a 0-1 deficit, Spain had only one solution: to win the two remaining matches. All the pressure was on Jaume Munar, who also had the peculiarity of never having won a singles match in this competition. The two he had played, he lost, and his only two victories came this season in doubles, against the Swiss and Danes.

But the Balearic became a giant and overwhelmed Lehecka, the world number 17 (6-3, 6-4) to achieve one of the best victories of his sporting career.

"I felt at a good level, though I wouldn't say it was an extraordinary match," commented the Mallorcan at a press conference, praising the group currently in Italy fighting to deliver Spain's seventh Davis Cup.

"We have what we have, and it's a lot. We must also value it. That's our mentality, but it has even been our strength with Nadal and Ferrer in the team. They have been the main exponents of that mentality and grit. And now it's our turn. I grew up with them and tried to bring that passion, desire, and leave everything on the court," he added.

With the score at 1-1, it was the doubles' turn. Tomas Berdych, the Czech captain, seeing Mensik's level, opted to include him in the match alongside Tomas Machac, an Olympic gold medalist in mixed doubles, while Ferrer made no changes: Granollers and Pedro Martínez took to the court.

The Spanish duo, despite having played only a handful of matches together, secured the decisive point in two tense tie-breaks (7-6 (8), 7-6 (8)) to qualify Spain for the semifinals.

Granollers and Martínez saved three set points in the first set tiebreak and two more in the second, always walking a tightrope, as is usual in doubles matches on this fast surface, but they frustrated the Czechs by capitalizing on the few opportunities they were given. A series of incredible points, some won by Granollers and others by Martínez, decided one of the best matches of this Davis Cup edition and reminded us why this competition, despite all the ups and downs it has suffered in recent years, is one of the most beloved.

"The spirit of this competition is incredible. We suffer because the matches are tough, but today we achieved the mix of suffering and winning the match. The nerves never go away in this competition," said Granollers on Movistar after the qualification.

"Playing with Marcel is very easy; he's the best doubles player in the world," added Pedro Martínez, who has won all three doubles matches this year. "I don't know what's happening to me this year, but when I step onto the court with the Spanish jersey, I face the matches with a different adrenaline."

These will be Spain's first semifinals since 2019, when they won their sixth Davis Cup at the Caja Mágica.