Field Level Media
15 Sep 2025, 01:49 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images)
Pedro Martinez, Jaume Munar and Pablo Carreno Busta all contributed to Spain's reverse sweep of Denmark on Sunday in Marbella to allow Spain to advance to the Davis Cup's Final 8.
Spain's dramatic comeback from down 2-0 completed the field of eight teams to advance. Earlier in the day, Belgium downed Australia 3-2 in Sydney.
Martinez made the most noise of all by upsetting World No. 11 Holger Rune 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (3). Martinez fought off a match point with Rune serving at 5-3.
That came after Martinez began his day by pairing with Munar in a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 doubles win over August Holmgren and Johannes Ingildsen.
'The feeling [at Davis Cup] is totally different,' Martinez said. 'Maybe I get more nervous but, this adrenaline, it doesn't work on some players. On me, it gives me an extra motivation to play full. I feel the nerves, but I can handle them, and I think this motivation plays in my favor.
'Hopefully I can continue playing like this in Davis Cup. For me, it's one of the most important things in my career.'
Carreno Busta completed the comeback, dispatching Elmer Moeller 6-2, 6-3 to advance Spain to the Final 8 in Italy in November.
In other second-round qualifying action, Belgium nearly wasted its 2-0 lead before rallying behind the efforts of Raphael Collignon, a 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3 winner over Aleksandar Vukic that sent Belgium to Final 8 in the spot Australia was expected to claim.
Australia's doubles pair of Rinky Hijikata and Jordan Thompson began the day with a 6-7 (7), 6-3, 6-4 win over Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen. World No. 8 Alex De Minaur followed that up with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Zizou Bergs, shaking off his upset loss to Collignon from the day before.
But Collignon got the last laugh, completing the exhausting rally against Vukic to give Belgium its first return to the Davis Cup Final 8 since 2018.
'Physically I was feeling OK,' Collignon told the Davis Cup website. 'With adrenaline and the energy from the bench, it was crazy. I didn't feel the legs at all. It was a crazy atmosphere and a crazy match.'
The Davis Cup Final 8 is scheduled for Nov. 18-23 in Bologna, Italy. Defending champion Italy is automatically in as the host nation. In addition to Spain and Belgium, Italy has been joined by the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Argentina and France.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Australian Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Australian Herald.
More InformationJERUSALEM - The plane carrying Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to the U.S. this week will fly a different route, avoiding air space...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook described a condominium she bought in June 2021 as a vacation home on a loan estimate...
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa: South Africa's Constitutional Court has struck down an apartheid-era law that prevented men from taking...
ATLANTA/WASHINGTON, D.C.: A plane carrying more than 300 South Korean workers detained during an immigration raid at a Georgia battery...
BRASILIA, Brazil: In a landmark decision, Brazil's Supreme Court has convicted former President Jair Bolsonaro on September 11, 2025,...
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Federal authorities have arrested and charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a third-year apprentice electrician, ...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: The long-running question of who would control Rupert Murdoch's vast media empire has finally been answered....
SYDNEY, Australia: Australia's ANZ is embarking on one of its deepest restructurings in years, with new CEO Nuno Matos announcing 3,500...
(Photo credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images) Pedro Martinez, Jaume Munar and Pablo Carreno Busta all contributed to Spain's reverse sweep...
New Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], September 14 (ANI): A pure batting display from Australia secures them a clinical eight-wicket win...
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 14 (ANI): The India A squad for the home series against Australia A, consisting of three one-day...
New Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], September 14 (ANI): Indian opener Smriti Mandhana overtook New Zealand's Amy Satterthwaite to become...
