BARCELONA, Spain(AP) Defending champion Spain took a 2-0 lead over the Czech Republic in the Davis Cup final after David Ferrer rallied for a 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 8-6 victory over Radek Stepanek on Friday.
Earlier, Rafael Nadal relied on his usual dogged determination and timely shot-making to beat Tomas Berdych 7-5, 6-0, 6-2 in the first singles match on the clay court at the Palau Sant Jordi.
Stepanek looked set to even the best-of-five series after steamrolling Ferrer in the first two sets. But Ferrer, playing his first match in a month after a hamstring injury, battled back and got the decisive break in the 13th game of the final set. He clinched it when Stepanek sent a shot long on match point.
Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco can clinch Spain's fourth title on Saturday with a doubles win over Lukas Dlouhy and Jan Hajek in the best-of-five finals format.
The 12th-ranked Stepanek had Czech fans roaring as he took nine straight games on his way to winning the first two sets. But the mostly Spanish contingent in the crowd of 18,000 came to life when Ferrer started finding his stride while Stepanek tired. Ferrer broke five times over the next two sets to even the match, but then wasted four early break points in the decider.
But Stepanek, who had 74 unforced errors during the 4-hour, 17-minute match, wasted a 30-0 lead at 6-6 and then netted a drop shot for Ferrer to break.
Three-time champion Spain, which hasn't lost at home in over a decade, is looking to become the first team since Sweden in 1998 to defend the trophy at the sit where it won its first in 2000.
Returning to his favorite clay surface after four straight indoor defeats, Nadal gave the hosts the perfect start and certainly didn't look like the player who came in on a four-match winless run. Nadal won 13 straight games at one stretch for a fifth straight win over Berdych that improved his Davis Cup record to 11-0 on clay.
After winning the first set everything changed,'' said Nadal, who missed last year's final against Argentina with an injury.I got up on him. I also managed to find my rhythm.''
Nadal converted a decisive break point in the 11th game on his way to taking the tight first set, and Berdych was never in the match after that as his serve faltered and he finished with 40 unforced errors.
Spain has won 17 consecutive clay series and hasn't lost at home since 1999 - beating 19 opponents along the way. The visitors are looking for their first title since 1980, when the country was Czechoslovakia.