Rafa, David put Spain in control

Barcelona (Spain), Dec. 5: Spain were on course to claim their second consecutive Davis Cup title after David Ferrer came back from two sets down to beat Radek Stepanek and leave the hosts 2-0 up here on Friday.

Earlier, world number two Rafael Nadal cruised past Tomas Berdych 7-5, 6-0, 6-2 in the opening singles match.

Ferrer, by contrast, did it the hard way. Stepanek, ranked 12 in the world, comfortably claimed the first two sets, before the Spanish world number 18 clawed his way back to take the next three in a heroic performance.

Ferrer eventually came out the winner 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 8-6.

The Czechs must now win Saturday’s doubles in which Jan Hajek and Lukas Dlouhy face Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco. The reverse singles rubbers on Sunday pitch Nadal against Stepanek and Ferrer against Berdych.