Calleri Stuns Ferrero to Force Davis Cup Decider
MALAGA, Spain (Reuters) - Agustin Calleri claimed an extraordinary 6-4, 7-5, 6-1 victory over world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero Sunday to level Argentina's Davis Cup semi-final with Spain at 2-2 and force a decisive singles rubber.
Argentina, trailing 2-0 after the first day, had kept the tie alive with a four-set doubles win for Calleri and Lucas Arnold over Albert Costa and Alex Corretja Saturday.
Calleri was back on the specially constructed clay court at Malaga Sunday after being called in as a late replacement for Mariano Zabaleta and he responded with a brilliant win.
Ferrero, the French Open champion and undisputedly the world's top player on clay, must have been confident of claiming the third point for Spain but after two tight sets he was blown away by his opponent.
"I'd say this was the best match of my life," said Calleri. "I beat the world number one, on clay and on his home territory.
"I took the initiative throughout the game and everything I tried came off."
Calleri, fizzing down aces, service winners and unreturnable groundstrokes, got the crucial first-set break in game seven and then came back from 3-5 down in the second, saving five set-points along the way, before edging it 7-5.
"If I'd won the second set the match would have turned out differently," said Ferrero.
The Spaniard was at a loss to how to deal with Calleri in the third set and quickly found himself 4-0 down before the Argentine clinched victory in two hours 40 minutes.
With the tie poised at 2-2, Carlos Moya and Gaston Gaudio were playing the decisive final singles, with a place in the final against Australia at stake.
MALAGA, Spain (Reuters) - Agustin Calleri claimed an extraordinary 6-4, 7-5, 6-1 victory over world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero Sunday to level Argentina's Davis Cup semi-final with Spain at 2-2 and force a decisive singles rubber.
Argentina, trailing 2-0 after the first day, had kept the tie alive with a four-set doubles win for Calleri and Lucas Arnold over Albert Costa and Alex Corretja Saturday.
Calleri was back on the specially constructed clay court at Malaga Sunday after being called in as a late replacement for Mariano Zabaleta and he responded with a brilliant win.
Ferrero, the French Open champion and undisputedly the world's top player on clay, must have been confident of claiming the third point for Spain but after two tight sets he was blown away by his opponent.
"I'd say this was the best match of my life," said Calleri. "I beat the world number one, on clay and on his home territory.
"I took the initiative throughout the game and everything I tried came off."
Calleri, fizzing down aces, service winners and unreturnable groundstrokes, got the crucial first-set break in game seven and then came back from 3-5 down in the second, saving five set-points along the way, before edging it 7-5.
"If I'd won the second set the match would have turned out differently," said Ferrero.
The Spaniard was at a loss to how to deal with Calleri in the third set and quickly found himself 4-0 down before the Argentine clinched victory in two hours 40 minutes.
With the tie poised at 2-2, Carlos Moya and Gaston Gaudio were playing the decisive final singles, with a place in the final against Australia at stake.
