Spain returned to the Davis Cup Final for the first time since 2012, powered by Rafael Nadal and Feliciano Lopez, who helped secure a dramatic win over Great Britain in Madrid. The home team initially struggled after Lopez lost his singles match to Kyle Edmund, but Nadal bounced back with a convincing win over Dan Evans. The victory was sealed in a high-stakes doubles clash, where Nadal and Lopez defeated Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/8). This sets up a final showdown against Canada on Sunday, after the Canadians advanced by beating Russia in a closely contested doubles match.
Rafael Nadal motivated Spain into their 1st Davis Cup last since 2012 as he collaborated with Feliciano Lopez to verify a dramatic last 4 wins against Britain in Madrid. The hosts trailed 1-0 after Lopez’s singles beat by Kyle Edmund pervious day, however Nadal whipped Dan Evans before defeating Lopez in a 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (10/8) victory in the mixed double over Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski. Spain will confront Canada in Sunday’s last match after the North Americans won their semi-final against Russia, which was likewise chosen in the doubles rubber.
Feliciano Lopez, now 38, called the victory a rare and special moment, emphasizing the excitement of having a chance to win the competition in front of their home fans. Meanwhile, Canada's journey to the final was secured by Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil, who narrowly beat the Russian duo of Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev.
Spain, a five-time champion nation, relied on the brilliance of world number one Rafael Nadal to reach the final. At 33, Nadal is pursuing his fifth individual Davis Cup title, having first won the trophy in 2004. Nadal mentioned that the current format makes the competition feel especially dramatic and significant. He credited his partner, Lopez, and the passionate crowd for their support, noting that Spain's last appearance in a final was six years ago, when they lost to the Czech Republic.
Kyle Edmund justified captain Leon Smith's decision to start him over three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray by beating Lopez 6-3, 7-6 (7/3). However, Nadal responded by brushing aside Dan Evans 6-4, 6-0, setting the stage for the doubles. That final match was a nail-biter; Spain narrowly avoided a first-set tie-break loss before winning the second. The British pair had four set points in the second set, but Nadal saved one with an incredible stretch shot. Spain eventually closed out the match on their second match point. Speaking of the performance, it was noted that Rafa plays with maximum intensity from the very first round. Elsewhere on Saturday, 20-year-old Shapovalov leveled the score for Canada by defeating Khachanov, following Rublev's win over Pospisil. Canadian captain Frank Dancevic praised both teams for their exceptional play, noting that the match between the Canadian and Russian pairs was decided by an exhilarating tie-break.