ATP Tour

Granollers/Martinez send Spain to title match at Davis Cup Finals

Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez sent Spain to the title match at the Davis Cup Finals on Saturday, when they earned a hard-fought 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 deciding doubles rubber win against Germany’s Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz.

Earlier, Alexander Zverev had levelled the tie for Germany in Bologna with a 7-6(2) 7-6(5) victory against Jaume Munar after Pablo Carreno Busta had beaten Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4 7-6(6) to give Spain the lead.

With the doubles left to decide the semi-final tie, Granollers and Martinez stepped up to send Spain through. They crucially saved one break point when serving for the match at 5-3, 30/40 in the third set, earning victory on their first match point to spark jubilant scenes of celebration among the Spanish team.

In the first match of the day, Carreno Busta saved five consecutive set points in the second set against Struff, rallying from 1/6 behind in the tie-break to give his nation the lead after one hour and 46 minutes.

The No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Zverev clubbed 32 winners, including 13 aces, past Munar but ultimately his victory was in vain. Zverev ends his season holding a 57-25 record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

Spain is in its first Davis Cup final since lifting the trophy in 2019. The former champion will play two-time defending champion Italy in Sunday’s final.