Tennis

Rafael Nadal sparks emotional scenes on court as star clinches Davis Cup for Spain


Rafael Nadal was mobbed by his Spanish team-mates after seeing off Denis Shapovalov to seal the Davis Cup for Spain.

The world number one fell to the ground in exhaustion immediately after the win, having fought his way past Shapovalov 6-4 7-6 in Madrid.

Nadal boasts an unbeaten record in the 2019 Davis Cup, having won all eight of the rubbers he played this week.

And Nadal’s final victory over Canadian Shapovalov gave Spain their first title since 2011, sparking emotional scenes inside the Caja Magica.

Roberto Bautista Agut had earlier overcome Felix Auger-Aliassime, with the 31-year-old having put aside the grief caused by the death of his father on Thursday.

Bautista Agut spoke through tears after his 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 victory, and was swept up in a hug by Nadal after the title was secured.

Nadal’s win gave Spain an unassailable 2-0 lead over Canada, handing them their sixth Davis Cup triumph.

The rest of the Spain team allowed Nadal to receive the adulation of the crowd on his own, following his heroic performance this week.

Speaking after his victory, Nadal said: “It’s been an amazing week. A lot of things we went through.

“The father of Roberto passed away, Marcel [Granollers] yesterday had a stiff back.

“We called him off. Pablo [Carrena Busta] got injured on the singles. Loads of things happen.

“I could not be happier, honestly. It’s been an unforgettable moment here in this amazing stadium.

“The crowd was a joke, we can’t thank them enough! All of them.

“Our team spirit prevails. We fought hard.”



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