The revamped Davis Cup will reach its climax on Sunday with Spain aiming for a sixth title success while Canada will play in their first final after 106 years of trying.
Two thrilling semi-finals decided in tiebreakers of the doubles matches on Saturday at La Caja Magica, as Spain outlasted Great Britain and Canada upset Russia to earn the right to contest the inaugural Davis Cup Finals decider.
Rafael Nadal won his singles and doubles matches to lead Spain to a 2-1 comeback win over Great Britain, putting the hosts in the Davis Cup final for the first time since 2012.
World No.1 Nadal and 38-year-old Feliciano Lopez defeated Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (10-8) in the dramatic conclusion to a tense tie.
“It was an exciting match, almost dramatic,” Nadal said.
“The crowd was amazing.
“It’s hard to describe the feeling of playing in a team competition in front of our fans on this court.
“It was incredible.”
Kyle Edmund gave Britain the lead with a 6-3 7-6 (7-3) win over the 38-year-old Lopez in the first singles, then Nadal evened the tie by cruising past Daniel Evans 6-4 6-0 for his 28th straight Davis Cup singles victory.
Nadal has won all six of his matches during the inaugural edition of the new-look week-long Davis Cup Finals.
“There are a lot of emotions out there,” Nadal said.
“We went through a lot of things this week, honestly, every day.
“I went to my room at 4:24 in the morning today.
“Two days ago the father of Roberto (Bautista Agut) passed away.
“Today Pablo and Marcel were not well.
“A lot of things… We can’t be happier than to be where we are today.”
Spain prevailed in both tiebreakers before a boisterous home crowd after Britain squandered four set points in the second set, including three in the tiebreaker.
“We had our chances at the end,” Jamie Murray said. “That one will hurt for a little while, I think.”
Canada survived an even closer battle as Vasek Pospisil and Denis Shapovalov beat Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5).
Rublev put the Russians ahead defeating Pospisil 6-4 6-4 in the first singles before 20-year-old Shapovalov evened the tie by downing Khachanov 6-4 4-6 6-4.
In the doubles, the Canadians trailed 3-0 in the third-set tiebreaker but rallied and converted their second match point.
“I don’t think any of us expected that we could get this far,” Shapovalov said.
“I think we just absolutely played ridiculous tennis.
“I’m super-stoked to be in the final.
“It’s one of my dreams, you know, to play in the Davis Cup final.”