Breakdown: The “drama meter” will be off the charts Sunday as the final day of the 2011 tennis season provides a showdown between two superstars of the game, when Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro battle in the fourth rubber of the Davis Cup Final, from Seville, Spain. The marquee matchup will either conclude with Spain winning its third championship in four years or Argentina forcing the tie to a deciding fifth rubber. David Ferrer would potentially take on Juan Monaco in that match.
Del Potro will look to end the Spaniard’s recent domination over the Argentine, having won this year in the semis at Indian Wells and the fourth round at Wimbledon. Prior to the wrist injury that sidelined him for almost all of 2010, Del Potro owned Nadal, having won three consecutive 2009 meetings including a 6-2 6-2 6-2 blowout in the semis in New York.
Both Nadal and Del Potro have played one rubber already this week, with the Spaniard destroying Juan Monaco, 6-1 6-1 6-2 and Del Potro suffering an excruciating five-set defeat at the hands of world number five David Ferrer, 6-2 6-7 3-6 6-4 6-3. Ferrer was extremely efficient on break point opportunities, converting 8-of-14. Despite 71 winners by Del Potro, the Spaniard was steadier in clutch spots and forced more unforced errors from the Argentine. Nadal, meanwhile, converted 7-of-14 break points and was dominant on his own serve, with a 73% first serve percentage. Whereas Ferrer needed nearly five hours to knock off Del Potro, Nadal was through in less than two and a half.
Head-to-Head: 6-3 Nadal. Nadal won the first four meetings, all without dropping a set. Del Potro then rallied to take the next three, and Rafa has won the previous two.
MATCH POINT: Despite struggling mightily in London last week, Nadal demonstrated his clay-court prowess against Monaco on Friday. Del Potro played an extremely competitive match against an in-form Ferrer and showed he is a force to be reckoned with after withdrawing from Paris in mid-November. A laborious five hour match will undoubtedly be a factor against someone as fresh as Nadal. Also, the fact that the Spaniard is 51-2 on clay since 2009 is huge. Spain clinches the 2011 Davis Cup title after a straight sets win by their top dog.- http://sportschatplace.com/
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