A nerveless Rafael Nadal needed just one hour to level the tie for Spain against Argentina, easing past Diego Schwartzman 6-1, 6-2, to cancel out Guido Pella’s victory over Pablo Carreño Busta in the opening match of their Davis Cup quarter-final on Friday in Madrid.
I have been playing great. Great serve, played aggressive from the baseline, I had the breaks early in the sets and that helps.
Before the start of the tie, a moment of silence was observed in honour of Roberto Bautista Agut’s father, who passed away on Thursday. As the Spanish players lined up for the pre-tie ceremony, they left a space between them for their absent team-mate.
(LtoR) Spain’s captain Sergi Bruguera, Spain’s Rafael Nadal, Pablo Carreno of Spain, Spain’s Feliciano Lopez and Spain’s Marcel Granollers stand prior to the singles tennis match between Spain and Argentina at the Davis Cup Madrid Finals 2019 in Madrid on November 19, 2019. (Photo by Oscar Gonzalez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafael Nadal of Spain prior to the quarter final singles match between Argentina and Spain during Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by fotopress/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 20: Rafael Nadal of Spain and Diego Schwartzman of Argentina poses for photo before their match during the Day 5 of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Oscar J. Barroso / AFP7 / Europa Press Sports via Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafael Nadal of Spain during the quarter final singles match between Argentina and Spain during Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by fotopress/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafael Nadal of Spain during the quarter final singles match between Argentina and Spain during Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by fotopress/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafael Nadal of Spain during the quarter final singles match between Argentina and Spain during Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by fotopress/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafa Nadal of Spain reacts during his quarter final match against Diego Schwartzman of Argentina on Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafa Nadal of Spain looks on during his quarter final match against Diego Schwartzman of Argentina on Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafa Nadal of Spain in action against Diego Schwartzman of Argentina in his quarter final match on Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafa Nadal of Spain reacts during his quarter final match against Diego Schwartzman of Argentina on Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafael Nadal of Spain during the quarter final singles match between Argentina and Spain during Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by fotopress/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafa Nadal of Spain celebrates beating Diego Schwartzman of Argentina in his quarter final match on Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates his winning after the quarter final singles match between Argentina and Spain during Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by fotopress/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 20: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates the victory after his match played against Diego Schwartzman of Argentina during the Day 5 of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Oscar J. Barroso / AFP7 / Europa Press Sports via Getty Images)
Spain will make its second straight semifinal appearance after Rafa and Marcel Granollers defeated Máximo González and Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in the decisive doubles match in front of a lively and vocal crowd at the Caja Mágica center court.
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 20: Rafael Nadal of Spain looks on during his doubles match played with Marcel Granollers of Spain against Machi Gonzalez and Leonardo Mayer of Argentina during the Day 5 of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Oscar J. Barroso / AFP7 / Europa Press Sports via Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 20: Rafael Nadal and Marcel Granollers of Spain talks during his doubles match played against Machi Gonzalez and Leonardo Mayer of Argentina during the Day 5 of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Oscar J. Barroso / AFP7 / Europa Press Sports via Getty Images)
Spain’s Marcel Granollers and Spain’s Rafael Nadal (L) return the ball to Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer and Argentina’s Maximo Gonzalez during the doubles quarter-final tennis match between Argentina and Spain at the Davis Cup Madrid Finals 2019 in Madrid on November 22, 2019. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP) (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)
Spain’s Rafael Nadal (L) and Spain’s Marcel Granollers react during the doubles quarter-final tennis match against Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer and Argentina’s Maximo Gonzalez at the Davis Cup Madrid Finals 2019 in Madrid on November 22, 2019. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP) (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates during his doubles quarter finals match against Maximo Gonzalez and Leonardo Mayer of Argentina during Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Aliaga/MB Media/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 22: Rafael Nadal and Marcel Granollers of Spain in action during their doubles quarter finals match against Maximo Gonzalez and Leonardo Mayer of Argentina during Day Five of the 2019 Davis Cup at La Caja Magica on November 22, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Aliaga/MB Media/Getty Images)
Source: Davis Cup Finals
Wo….WO…..WO…….CLASSY TIE BREAK RETURN SWEETHEART……XOXOXOXO
STRIKING VOLLEY SWEETHEART!!!!!!:) WI…..WI…..WI…. GORGEOUS TEAM STRENGTH AND BEAUTIFUL HOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)
BEAUTIFUL FUN OVERHEAD SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!:) KEEP SMILING!:)XOXOXOXOXO YOU BOTH LOOK AWESOMELY CHEEKY!!!!!!!!!!!:) GO TEAM SPAIN GO!!!!!!:)
Rafa delivered once more, 6/4 and 6/0👏😁
Let’s see if he will play doubles……
Vamos Team Spain💪
UNO….DOS…..TRES…..FEISTY MATCH POINTS……AND IT IS A WIN!!!!!!!!!!:) VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!:) CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR MAGNIFICENT SWIFT VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!:) 9…..NINE STRIKING ACES!!!!!!:) BRILLIANT!!!!!!!:) NO ONE HAS YOUR PASSION!!!!!:) XOXOXOXOXOXO YOU ARE ONE BRILLIANT TEAM PLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!:)
ENJOY LOTS OF JOY!!!!!!!!:)
HAVE FUN PLAYING YOUR DOUBLES SWEETHEART WITH F. GO TEAM SPAIN GO!!!!!!!!!!!:) YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL AND GORGEOUS PUT THERE!!!!!!:) SO SPECIAL SWEETHEART!!!!!!:) LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU AND F !!!!!!!!:) XOXOXOXOXO
TRES……!:) QUATRO…….!:)
ANOTHER FEISTY GORGEOUSLY TIMED ACE!!!!!!!!!!!:) XOXOXOXOXOXO VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!:) XOXOXOXOXOXO
LETS MAKE SURE IT IS A HEALTHY WHOLE WHEAT BAGEL!!!!!:)
Double breaks, Rafa is up 5 to 0 in the second set, amazing and well done by Rafa👍👏😁
7……SEVEN SPARKLY ACES…. ….BEAUTIFUL STRIKING VOLLEY……YOUR LOVED ONES ARE VERY HAPPY FOR YOU……GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!:)
UNO…..DOS……YEH!!!!!!!!:) CI……CI…….CI……XOXOXOXOXO
MIX…..SLICE……SLIDE AND GLIDE…….BEAUTIFUL FITNESS …….BEAUTIFUL POWER DEAR RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) LOVE THE WAY YOU PLAY!!!!!!:) MAGICAL TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS !!!!!!!!!!:) XOXOXOXOXOXO
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) BEAUTIFUL SWIFT 1ST SET LEAD ….GREAT 6:4…..WE LOVE YOU AND LOVE YOUR POINT BY POINT PRECIOUS AND EXCITING PLAY!!!!!!:) LOVE YOUR SPEED AND NET MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!:) VAMOS AND ENJOY EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!:)
XOXOXOXOXOXO
First set in the packet, Rafa 6/4👍👏🤗
Pocket, sorry for my typo.
UMPIRE MUST OVER RULE MISCALLS! HE IS ALLOWING WAY TOO MANY…..
GREAT YOU ARE CHALLENGING SWEETHEART!!:)
GO RAFA GO!!!!:) GORGEOUS 6……SIX BRIGHT SHINNING ACES !!!!!!!!!!:)
Nice to have RBA back supporting his teammates today ❤️
Rafa vs Dan Evans right now, a must win for Spain!
Vamos RAFA💪