Nadal fires Spain into final

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:02

The world number one was in merciless form against Andy Roddick and his 6-4 6-0 6-4 victory in Madrid’s Las Ventas bullring means the Spanish moved into an unassailable 3-1 lead.

The start of play was delayed by almost two hours due to rain in the Spanish capital and Nadal, who had won 122 of his last 125 matches on clay, looked keen to make up for lost time once his clash with Roddick finally got under way.

He broke in the seventh game of the first set and then stormed through the next without allowing Roddick a look-in.

Roddick had three break points in Nadal’s first service game of the third set but the Spaniard reeled off five successive points, and the home favourite compounded the 26-year-old’s misery by immediately breaking him in the next game.

Although he was unable to make the most of five match points in the ninth game, Nadal wrapped up victory in the next on his own serve, sealing the triumph with a brilliant cross-court backhand.

Spain will meet Argentina or Russia in the final as they seek their third Davis Cup title.

Now get the WORLD’S BEST TENNIS MAGAZINE here