Alexander Zverev will lead Germany at the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna next week. While not thinking anything nice about this format of Davis Cup, world no. 3 will try to help his country after a call from his teammates.
Zverev recalled the "real" Davis Cup duel against Rafael Nadal in Plaza de Toros in Valencia in 2018. The young gun got a chance to lead Germany against the clay giants in a beautiful stadium.
Germany led 2-1 before Spain avoided a stunner and prevailed 3-2. Zverev and Nadal faced in the fourth rubber, and the king of clay earned a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 triumph in two hours and 16 minutes.
Thus, the legend kept his country alive in front of the partisan crowd, earning his 24th victory from 25 Davis Cup matches. It was Rafa's 18th triumph in the Davis Cup rubbers on clay, never losing on his favorite surface since debuting in 2004.
The Spaniard retired at the Australian Open and took a break. The match against Zverev was only his seventh of the season, and he played well to bring the win home.
World no. 1 saved four of six break points and provided six breaks from eight chances created against the youngster. Nadal served well early on and grabbed a break in the second game for a 4-1 advantage.
Alexander hit a double fault in the sixth game to suffer another break, and Rafa wrapped up the opener after saving two break points at 5-1 and landing a volley winner on a set point.
The Spaniard broke at the beginning of the second set, and the German responded with a deep return in the next one to return to the positive side. Nadal served well in the remaining games.
He grabbed a break in the fifth game after firing up his forehand and held at love at 5-4 to move two sets to love in front. Rafa landed a backhand down the line winner in the third game of the third set to move in front.
The legend delivered another return game at 3-1 after the young gun's double fault, extending the advantage and moving closer to the finish line. Zverev kept fighting and pulled one break back in the sixth game, reducing the gap to 4-2.
He held in the next one but never got a chance to erase the second break. Rafa served for the win at 5-4 and landed a service winner on a match point to seal the deal and keep Spain alive.
