Spain's Davis Cup tennis team qualified for the Septembers' semifinals on Sunday thanks to Juan Carlos Ferrero's win over German rival Andreas Beck in straight sets of 6-4, 6-4 and 6-4, which gave Spain a 3-2 win in the series.
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Juan Carlos Ferrero (C) of Spain is congratulated by team mates after winning the Davis Cup tennis quarter-finals match against Andreas Beck of Germany in Marbella July 12, 2009.[Xinhua/Reuters photo] |
Earlier on Sunday, Germany's Philipp Koholschreiber had equalized the series after a fraught battle with Spain's Fernando Verdasco, in sets of 6-4, 6-2, 1-6, 2-6 and 8-6.
Ferrero, the world's number 37 and a member of Davis Cup winning teams in 2000 and 2004, was absent during the last three editions of the tournament.
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Juan Carlos Ferrero (top) of Spain is carried on the shoulders of Feliciano Lopez after winning the Davis Cup tennis quarter-finals match against Andreas Beck of Germany in Marbella July 12, 2009. [Xinhua/Reuters photo] |
However, a good performance at Wimbledon Open, where he was a special guest, help him raise morale and his game. Under pressure with the series equalized, Ferrero played at the top of his game.
On the first day, Andrea Beck defeated Spain's Tommy Robledo and Spain's doubles team defeated their German rivals.
Spain's next competitive game is against Israel, which eliminated Russia on Sunday, in a shock upset.
Also on Sunday, top-seeded United States lost to Croatia and Argentina lost to the Czech Republic.
(Xinhua News Agency July 13, 2009)
