Spain's Moya ties Davis Cup final
 |
Moya faces Hewitt in Sunday's reverse singles.
Story Tools
|
MELBOURNE, Australia -- Spain's Carlos Moya downed Mark Philippoussis of Australia 6-4 6-4 4-6 7-6 to level the Davis Cup final at 1-1 after Friday's opening singles.
Clay court specialist Moya had not played on grass in 18 months but the Spaniard looked more at home on the surface at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena than local favorite Philippoussis.
Lleyton Hewitt, playing his first match since September, had launched the hosts into a 1-0 lead by winning a five-set, four-hour epic against world No. 3 Juan Carlos Ferrero.
The final only commenced after Tennis Australia issued an apologetic statement after the wrong anthem was played during the opening ceremony. (Full story)
Spanish sports minister Juan Antonio-Angulo, who was attending the match, left the stadium in protest and instructed his players not to begin until an apology had been issued.
Formal apology
Angulo said Spain would also demand a formal apology from the Australian government over the incident.
Former world No. 1 Hewitt twice trailed by a set, but his superior grass court game finally came through as he took the fourth set on the tiebreaker and then broke Ferrero straight away in the fifth for a 3-6 6-3 3-6 7-6 6-2 win.
Hewitt was playing his first match since September.
|
|
"It was hard work out there in tough conditions," said Hewitt, whose match was played in searing temperatures.
"My thoughts and training for the last eight weeks have all been on this match and trying to get Australia off to a great start."
Hewitt's win was the latest in a series of great Davis Cup comebacks. In September he rallied from two sets down to beat Switzerland's Roger Federer and clinch Australia's place in the final.
Even match
Ferrero said that recent sickness had affected his ability to compete in the later sets.
"It was fairly even match, I think there was very little difference between us except for the fifth set," said the French Open champion.
"I guess he played better than me, but you have to consider that I have been sick (with sinusitis). I haven't been that well."
Philippoussis' natural serve and volley game should have given the Australian a big advantage over Moya, but a succession of unforced errors turned the match in the Spaniard's favor.
Philippoussis rallied to win the third set but his fightback ran out of steam as the fourth set went into a tiebreaker.
"If he had won the fourth set anything could have happened," Moya said. "He was not playing well at the start but he got better."
