MELBOURNE, 30 November 2003 — Australia seized control of the Davis Cup final against Spain yesterday with a crushing victory in the doubles rubber.
Wayne Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge gave a near-perfect demonstration to beat Alex Corretja and Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 and provide Australia with a 2-1 lead heading into today’s concluding reverse singles.
The result left Australia tantalizingly close to claiming the Davis Cup for the 28th time.
There have been only six occasions since the Davis Cup was first contested in 1900 that a team has lost after leading 2-1.
“It’s a great position to be in but there is still a mood of reservation, there is definitely no celebration in our locker room tonight,” Australia’s non-playing captain John Fitzgerald said.
“There is a long way to go, there really is. These players are too good to take lightly.”
The Spanish, who won the Davis Cup for the first time two years ago by beating Australia on Barcelona red clay, have not given up hope of winning yet but know they face a difficult task.
“We always felt from the start that today was going to be the hardest day for us and that was proven,” Spanish captain Jordi Arrese said.
“We just have to have faith and trust in our players that we can improve.”
Spain defied their poor record on grass to split Friday’s opening singles but still look to have their work cut out to win both matches today.
French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero needs to beat Wimbledon runner-up Mark Philippoussis in the first rubber of the day to keep the tie alive.
If he does, the title will come down to the final match between Carlos Moya and Lleyton Hewitt, last year’s Wimbledon champion.
Hewitt staged a mighty comeback to beat Ferrero in five sets on Friday before Moya leveled the tie by upsetting a nervous Philippoussis.
Fitzgerald said he expected Philippoussis to bounce back from his loss to Moya when he confronts Ferrero.
“You’ll see a different player out there on Sunday,” Fitzgerald said. “I promise you, this guy tries his heart out every time he goes onto the court.”
Woodbridge and Arthurs were never seriously challenged by their Spanish opponents as they cruised to victory in about an hour and a half.
The Australian pair hardly raised a sweat on a hot and a sunny day at Melbourne Park’s Rod Laver Arena with a dazzling display of shots and doubles play.
Already one of the greatest doubles players of all time with eight Wimbledon championships, Woodbridge was in magnificent touch, tormenting the Spanish with his accurate ground strokes and cleverly disguised lobs. It was already a special occasion for Woodbridge who was playing his 29th Davis Cup tie, beating the previous Australian record of 28 held by Adrian Quist, and his performance made it one to cherish.
He and Arthurs were also able to erase the bitter disappointment from the 2001 Davis Cup final, which they lost at home to France. Fitzgerald gambled and lost when he dumped his proven combination for Hewitt and Patrick Rafter on the morning of the doubles match.
The plan backfired in spectacular fashion as France went on to win the title and Fitzgerald has stuck to doubles specialists ever since.
“Todd has mastered the art of doubles,” Fitzgerald said. “He was a maestro and Wayne Arthurs has come a long way over the last two years. “Realistically ... they are probably the best doubles combination in the world right now.”
