Spain beat defending champions the USA to reach the Davis Cup final when world number one Rafael Nadal thrashed Andy Roddick in straight sets on Sunday to give the home side an unbeatable 3-1 lead in their semi-final clash.
The Spaniard, who has already picked up the Wimbledon, French Open and Olympic titles this year, cruised to a 6-4, 6-0, 6-4 victory in a colourful, high-spirited atmosphere in a Madrid bullring.
Spain will now play either Argentina or Russia in the final on November 21-23, with the South Americans the favourites after securing a 2-1 lead after the first two days. It will be Spain's sixth appearance in the final of the Davis Cup, which they have won twice, in 2000 and in 2004, when Nadal, then just 18 and relatively unknown, also beat Roddick, then the world number two.
Nadal was carried on the shoulders of one of his team-mates, to the sounds of drumbeats and trumpets as the crowd, a sea of Spain's red and gold colours, chanted "Ole, Ole, Ole".
"It was great to win at home, there is no atmosphere like this," Nadal said.
He admitted that his participation was in doubt after suffering a thigh strain, "but I had a scan yesterday and it was decided that I could play."
He had said before the match that he was "short on energy and strength after a long season," in which his last tournament, the US Open, ended with a semi-final loss to Britain's Andy Murray.
But the agile Spaniard showed no signs of fatigue on Sunday, as he hit some superb passing shots at the big-hitting American, who also lost on Friday in an exhausting five-set battle with David Ferrer. Nadal even outperformed Roddick, who survived five match points, on the service game, considered the American's strong point.
Nadal now leads the 8th-ranked Roddick 4-2 in career meetings, while Spain are 4-5 against the Americans in Davis Cup ties. On Friday, Nadal outclassed 39th ranked Davis Cup rookie Sam Querrey 6-7 (5/7) 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, and fifth-ranked Ferrer came from behind to defeat Roddick 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 1-6, 6-4, 8-6.
Querrey, 20, was a late replacement for ninth-ranked James Blake, who pulled out, citing exhaustion. On Saturday, the USA had kept alive its hopes of retaining the cup when the makeshift pairing of Mike Bryan and Mardy Fish beat Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco in a five-setter to reduce Spain's lead to 2-1.
Fish was named to the squad just days before the clash to replace Bryan's usual doubles partner, his twin brother Bob, who pulled out with a shoulder injury.
The tie is being played in the dramatic surroundings of the ornate 22,000-capacity Las Ventas bullring in Madrid, amid a sea of red and gold Spanish colours. Spanish points were greeted with the sounds of drum beats, trumpets and chants of Ole, Ole, Ole!
The venue was a controversial choice, as Spanish players had complained the high altitude in Madrid would favour the US players' faster game. Play on Sunday was delayed by almost two hours due to rain. In Sunday's second match, Ferrer is to play Querrey, in what is now a dead rubber.
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