After back-to-back Davis Cup losses in Belgrade, Spain has to produce what right now looks like an impossible feat. After losing the first two points of the quarterfinal series against Serbia, the team captained by Conchita Martinez has no choice but to win all the matches left to play.
Those matches are a doubles battle on Saturday and the two individual matches on Sunday. Otherwise it will be goodbye Spain. Albert Ramos lost against Novak Djokovic (6-3, 6-4 and 6-2) and and Pablo Carreño lost to Viktor Troicki (6-3, 6-4 and 6-2).
Spain is now left with the challenge of winning all three remaining matches, something they have never accomplished since the creation of the Davis Cup’s World Group in 1981.
Without Rafael Nadal, Roberto Bautista, Feliciano Lopez, David Ferrer or Fernando Verdasco, the battle of Belgrade resulted in the worst of the possible scenarios. Only a miracle would now save Spain.
Spain did not scratch any points and Serbia, with the great Djokovic leading the fight, took the commanding 2-0 lead and can now breath easier. Tomorrow, the responsibility of trying to extend the series will fall on the duo formed by Marc López and Pablo Carreño, with the unknown of whether or not they will have to face Djokovic, or if he will be given the day off.
It seemed essential to get at least one point on Friday, but Spain could not find any favorable matchup to do so. In the first match Ramos could not pose a serious threat to Djokovic and later Troicki overpowered Carreño.
For Ramos it was especially tough considering he had to face ‘Nole’ in front of his home fans and playing in hard surface, which is not his specialty.
Although Djokovic had not played in three weeks but he made a fabulous comeback and looked sharp. ‘Nole’ had not played in an official match since March 16, when he was defeated by Nick Kyrgios at Indian Wells. He decided to quit because he was suffering elbow troubles, but he looked dominant in the win in front of his people.
