Czech Republic, Spain seal clash for Davis Cup crown

Buenos Aires, Argentina (4E Sports) – Tomas Berdych defeated Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, Sunday to lift Czech Republic to the Davis Cup final against defending champion Spain.

Spain marched into the final by topping 32-time Davis Cup champion United States, 3-1, behind David Ferrer’s reverse single win over American No. 1 John Isner, 6-7(3) 6-3 6-4 6-2.

The Spaniards swept the Czechs in the 2009 final before beating Argentina last year for their fifth Davis Cup crown in this decade.

Berdych completely outplayed Berlocq, a late replacement injured Juan Martin del Potro, to finish the first reserve single in two hours and 45 minutes and seal a title clash with Spain at home from Nov. 16 to 18 in a repeat of the 2009 final.

“We made it and that’s the goal which we brought in here to Argentina, to try to make the almost impossible and win here,” Berdych said. “The whole team had belief that we could make it. It’s not impossible to win in Argentina as we proved.

“That’s even better to win with such a crazy crowd. It probably gives us so much for the future and I’m really excited to be in the final again,” added Berdych, who beat Juan Monaco, 6-1, 4-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the second singles match.

He later teamed up with Radek Stepanek for a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Berlocq and Eduardo Schwank Saturday to give the Czechs a 2-1 lead. Monaco claimed a second point for Argentina with a 6-3, 7-6(2) win over Ivo Minar in the dead rubber.

Meanwhile, Ferrer converted six of his 15 break point opportunities to survive Isner’s 15 aces and 51 winners to finish the match in three hours.

“I’m very happy and this is a dream for me,” said Ferrer. “Another Davis Cup final. We were here in Gijon at home, I won the last match and I won over John Isner who is a very, very good player.”

“It is disappointing; the Spanish team in my opinion is just too good. They won the important points and it is a bit discouraging for me. I wanted to contribute in the ways that I did in the first two ties and I wasn’t able to do it. That is a credit to [Nicolas] Almagro and Ferrer, they were both better than me,” Isner said.

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