Spain fought back against Czech Republic to reach the semifinals at the Davis Cup Final 8 at the Unipol Arena in Bologna.
Jakub Mensik edged Pablo Carreno Busta 7-5 6-4 to give Czechia the lead in the first singles match. Jaume Munar beat Jiri Lehecka 6-3 6-4 in the second singles match to keep Spanish hopes alive. For the first time a quarter final tie was decided by the doubles match this week.
Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez came back from one match down o beat Tomas Machac and Jakub Mensik 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (10-8).
The Spanish team are bidding to get back to the Davis Cup semifinals for the first time since they won their sixth title in 2019. Czechia have not played a Davis Cup semifinal since 2014.
Mensik beats Carreno Busta 7-5 6-4
In the first match Carreno Busta earned the first break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. Mensik broke straight back in the eighth game to draw to level to 4-4. The Czech player won three of his next four games to clinch the second set 7-5. The Czech player hit the first set point with a backhand down the line, but Carreno Busta saved it with a forehand pass. Carreno Busta fended off another set point. Mensik drew an error to convert his third set point.
Carreno Busta did not face a single break point in the second set. The Spanish player saved two break points in the sixth game. Mensik hit a forehand winner on the first match point in the 10th game, when Carreno Busta was serving to stay in the match.
Jaume Munar beats Jiri Lehecka 6-3 6-4
In the second match Munar earned the first break in the sixth game to take a 4-2 when Lehecka double faulted after five tight games. Munar served out the first set 6-3 with a hold at love in the ninth game.
Munar grabbed an early break in the first game of the second set. Lehechka earned two break points in the sixth game, but Munar held on serve at deuce to take a 4-2 lead. Munar won his final two service games easily and served out the win on his second match point forcing the tie to the decisive doubles match.
“I was pretty confident in my tennis. It doesn’t matter who I have in front of me. I’ve been playing really good indoors this year. I had great confidence in myself and that’s the main thing. I’ve been working since Marbella on nerves. I felt that a little bit in Spain that time, but not today. I focused on my tennis, my goals, my strategy. Nothing else than that”, said Munar.
Granollers and Martinez beats Mensik and Machac 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (10-8) in the double match
Granollers and Martinez broke serve in the third game of the first set to take a 2-1 lead. Mensik and Machac converted their third break-back point in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Machac earned two set points at 6-4 but he did not convert them. Martinez hit a backhand winner off a first serve from Menskik to give the Spanish team a set point. They converted it when Mensik made a forehand error.
Both teams saved break points in the second set en route to the tie-break. Granollers and Martinez saved two set points with their first serves. Spain sealed the tie-break 10-8 after Mensik made a double fault.
