Spain's Davis win tinged with grief

MADRID－Rafael Nadal gave all he had on the Caja Magica center court in Madrid.

The top-ranked Spanish star even admitted he risked getting injured by playing eight matches－five singles, three doubles－in six days at the Davis Cup Finals, the new World Cup of men's team tennis.

Nadal won all his matches, leading Spain to its sixth Davis Cup with a victory over first-time finalist Canada on Sunday.

But in Nadal's opinion, the only hero for Spain was grieving teammate Roberto Bautista Agut. He sent Spain on its way to victory by winning the first singles match on Sunday, three days after the death of his father.

"I've won the eight matches but the person who was vital in this Davis Cup was Roberto," Nadal said. "For me, what he did was something almost (super) human. I don't know how to explain it. It will be an example for the rest of my life. He had to leave, then his dad died, then he came back and practiced with us yesterday, and today he was ready again to play at a very high level. It was something incredible."

Before Nadal defeated Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 7-6 (7) to clinch the title, Bautista Agut had given Spain a 1-0 lead by beating Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Bautista Agut pointed his finger to the sky after winning his match, and was in tears while speaking briefly to the crowd.

"It was an amazing feeling on the court today," said Bautista Agut, whose father died on Thursday－a day after his son had defeated Nikola Mektic of Croatia－with his health deteriorating quickly after an illness that stemmed from a 2016 accident.

It was Nadal who had tears in his eyes when Bautista Agut thanked him for his efforts during the tournament.

"You gave us goosebumps all week, especially today," Bautista Agut said. "Thank you. I'm sure that next year you will do it again."

The 31-year-old Bautista Agut, ranked ninth in the world, played as teammates Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers nursed injuries entering the final.

"I had the opportunity to play today because all the team and all the players did an unbelievable effort since the first day," Bautista Agut said.

Nadal considered himself lucky to be able to play all matches.

"It's true that I held up, but we know that playing so many matches in this (hardcourt) surface is risky for me, something can happen at any time," Nadal said. "That's how it's been in the past, but luckily I held up."

Granollers and Lopez had been scheduled to face Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil in an ultimately canceled doubles rubber, although Nadal was likely to play if the title had been at stake. Nadal played in the decisive doubles on Friday and Saturday.

Voted the tournament's best player, Nadal sealed the title with his 29th straight Davis Cup singles win, igniting the host's celebrations.

Tournament organizer and Barcelona soccer star Gerard Pique, his pop-star wife Shakira－who performed in the closing ceremony－and Spanish King Felipe VI were among those celebrating Spain's triumph.

Spain's other Davis Cup titles were in 2000,'04,'08,'09 and'11.

Canada was seeking its first Davis Cup title since debuting in the competition in 1913.

"I feel like we've really come really far as a team, as a nation," the 20-year-old Shapovalov said. "Definitely we're super proud. Obviously it sucks, sucks losing in the finals. But I'm super proud of everyone. We've put in 120 percent every single day. It's amazing how far we've been able to come."

The Canadians, who were without the injured Milos Raonic, eliminated Italy and the United States in the group stage, and Australia and Russia in the knockout rounds.