TheSportsCampus

The Czech Republic have taken what could be a decisive 2-1 lead in the Davis Cup Final against defending champions Spain by winning the crucial Saturday Doubles encounter in 4 sets.

Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek unsurprisingly stepped into the Czech side for this match, replacing the previously listed duo of Ivo Minar and Lukas Rosol who in all fairness aren't really in the same league as their more illustrious compatriots.

Spain were represented by the ATP World Tour Final Champions, Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez, and were the massive favourites coming into this huge game. It was the Champions who won the opening set 6-3, and at that stage it appeared it was going to be business as usual for the Spaniards.

However, the Czechs produced some incredible tennis to rattle off three straight sets to register a strong come-from-behind 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-3 win.

It will be interesting to see though how much fuel is left in the tank of the star Czech duo with Tomas Berdych having played over 7 hours of tennis already this weekend, and will be in action in the first of the reverse singles against a very competent David Ferrer on Sunday.

Should a decisive fifth rubber be required, Spain would no doubt continue to be the favourites with world no.11 Nicolas Almagro expected to get the better of Czech veteran Radek Stepanek

CZECH REPUBLIC leads SPAIN 2-1, Venue: O2 Arena, Prague (hard – indoors)

David Ferrer (ESP) d. Radek Stepanek (CZE) 63 64 64
Tomas Berdych (CZE) d. Nicolas Almagro (ESP) 63 36 63 67(5) 63
Tomas Berdych/Radek Stepanek (CZE) d. Marcel Granollers/Marc Lopez (ESP) 36 75 75 63
Tomas Berdych (CZE) v David Ferrer (ESP)
Radek Stepanek (CZE) v Nicolas Almagro (ESP)