Davis Cup: Martinez Defeats Rune and Revives Spain
The tension was palpable in Marbella: after more than 3 hours of battle and saving a match point, Pedro Martinez gave Spain an unexpected reprieve in the Davis Cup.
The spirit of the Davis Cup was felt in Marbella. Trailing 1-2 against Denmark, Spain was up against the wall before the match between Pedro Martinez and Holger Rune.
The Dane, ranked 11th in the world, was the favorite for this match, but he was surprised after 3 hours and 15 minutes on the Spanish clay. Although leading 6-1, 4-2, Rune managed to turn the situation around and had the opportunity to serve for the match at 5-3 in the third set.
Urged on by a fervent crowd, Martinez saved a match point before breaking his opponent's serve thanks to a double fault. The tension then escalated, with Rune requesting a medical timeout for cramps, provoking the irritation of David Ferrer, the Spanish captain.
It was finally at the end of a tiebreak won 7 points to 3 that Martinez, ranked 67th in the world, leveled the two nations by winning 6-1, 4-6, 7-6.
The last ticket for the Davis Cup Final 8 will therefore be decided in a decisive match between Pablo Carreno Busta and Elmer Moller.
