Rafael Nadal clinched an emotional Davis Cup victory for Spain over Canada when he beat Denis Shapovalov in front of a jubilant home crowd in Madrid.
His 6-3 7-6 (9-7) win sealed the title, with Roberto Bautista Agut returning to the team three days after his father’s death to put the hosts 1-0 up.
Bautista Agut was in tears after beating 19-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 in the opener.
Nadal’s win gave Spain an unassailable 2-0 lead and a sixth Davis Cup title.
The world number one has won all eight of his rubbers this week to help Spain to a first title since 2011 and ensure local fans were celebrating at the end of the inaugural edition of the competition’s revamped version.
“When you have this moment it is difficult to describe with words – so many feelings, so many emotions you have never felt,” Spain captain Sergi Bruguera told Eurosport.
“Unbelievable. Imagine Roberto yesterday was in the funeral of his father, now he is here giving everything – the mentality, the spirit, giving everything for his team.
“Rafa, he is out of this world, I don’t know if he is an alien or what. Not one day we went to sleep before 3am this week.”
The new format has featured 18 teams playing in a week-long event in the Spanish capital, with a round-robin group stage followed by knockout rounds. Under the old system, teams played home and away ties through the year.
