The two best teams of 2020 ATP Cup Spain and Serbia faced each other in a highly anticipated final. The tennis world would await to watch the slugfest between two of the greatest ever players Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic go all out against each other, while representing their country. Serbia was the better team of the day mostly due to the inspirational spirit of their greatest player Novak Djokovic. Let’s recap this exciting contest and see how Serbia got better of Spain after suffering initial loss.
Roberto Bautista Agut vs Dusan Lajovic
In the first match Spain’s Bautista Agut who was yet to lose a set in the tournament went up against Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic. Bautista made his intentions clear breaking the Lajovic serve in the very 1st game. He went 3-0 up in quick succession before Lajovic was able to regain the break in the 5th game. The set looked to be going to a tie breaker but Bautista would again break in the 12th game and thus give himself a one set advantage.
The Spaniard continued his dominant display in the second set also racing to a 4-0 lead by breaking Lajovic twice. The Serb got one break back but Bautista broke again to serve at 5-1. The World Number 10 would then easily hold his serve and win the set 6-1 and put his side to an initial advantage. Bautista was Spain’s best player in the tournament winning all his 6 matches without the loss of a single set.
Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic
The 2nd match saw a 55th episode of the Nadal Djokovic saga. The Spaniard could take his side to victory with the win while the Serb was desperate to put his Country on level terms. Djokovic looked ominous from the start breaking the Nadal serve in the very 1st game. Rafa then managed to get himself on the board but was clearly looking the 2nd best player on the court. The Spaniard was again broken in the 7th game of the first set and then Djokovic served himself to a one set advantage.
In the 2nd set things started smoothly till the 7th game where Rafa had 3 break points. The Spaniard squandered all 3 of them and then got 2 more but could make use of none. Djokovic also had the break chance in 11th game but Nadal was able to maintain his serve through some breathtaking shot making. The set would fittingly go to a tie breaker where Novak raised his level to seal the set and put his team back in the match and ready for the doubles decider.
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Djokovic /Troicki vs Lopez/Carreno Busta
With the sides now at 1 match each, the crowd was hoping another Nadal Djokovic collision, this time in the doubles. The Spaniard however decided not to play as he was looking visibly disappointed as well as exhausted. Feliciano Lopez would instead join Pablo Carreno Busta. Novak Djokovic who had already performed heroically in his singles match would now team up with Viktor Troicki to try and put his side on the championship pedestal.
The match started with Spain breaking in early stages and the decision to play Lopez instead of Nadal looked working well. However that is when Djokovic decided to up his game. The Serbian leveled the break and then broke the Spaniards thus taking the 1st set at 6-3. They again delivered the magic in the 2nd set breaking by going up a break. Novak Djokovic the Serb superstar then deservingly served his side to a great victory against a powerful Spanish team.
A visibly emotional Djokovic declared this as one of the greatest moments of his life. Spanish team who won the Davis Cup in November 2019 were bitterly disappointed to miss out on back to back World Championships. The ATP Cup final also gave early indications of what is to come in the Australian Open which starts on 20th of January at Melbourne Park. Novak Djokovic who already has 7 Australian Open titles to his credit would now be an overwhelming favorite to lift the Norman Brookes challenge trophy for the 8th time on 2nd of February.