SPAIN has earned its sixth Davis Cup title and the first under the new 2019 format with a sensational 2-0 win over Canada overnight. In the story of the final Roberto Bautista Agut came back into Spain’s line-up just three days after the death of his father. Meanwhile Felix Auger-Aliassime was a surprise call-up to replace Vasek Pospisil who had competed all tournament. Meanwhile the two staples of the sides in Rafael Nadal and Denis Shapovalov were scheduled in the second singles.

Nadal praised his Spanish teammate’s willpower to get back and represent his nation despite being in mourning, describing it as “inhuman”.

“I’ve won the eight matches but the person who was vital in this Davis Cup was Roberto,” Nadal said post-match.

“For me, what he did was something almost inhuman. I don’t know how to explain it. It will be an example for the rest of my life. He had to leave, then his dad died, then he came back and practised with us yesterday, and today he was ready again to play at a very high level. It was something incredible.”

While no-one would have blamed the world number nine for not taking the court and his two other teammates, Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers injured, it left just the pair, and 38-year-old Feliciano Lopez as the three remaining available Spaniards.

Bautista Agut battled hard to overcome Auger-Aliassime in the first match, winning 7-6 6-3 to hand Spain an early lead, and one that the home crowd expected to maintain with the world number one up next. While Nadal was unbeaten throughout the tournament, Shapovalov had only dropped the one match himself and was in ripping form. He pushed the top ranked player to the limit, but was not able to force a third set, going down in straight sets, 6-3 7-6.

It was a terrific tournament by Canada and a sign of things to come in the future given the nation made it all the way to the final without Milos Raonic.

RESULTS:

Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 7-6 6-3
Rafael Nadal (ESP) defeated Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 6-3 7-6