Preview: Davis Cup Final (Czech Republic - Spain)

TENNIS - The 100th Davis Cup final will be contested between Czech Republic and Spain at Prague’s O2 Arena from Friday, 16 November and Sunday, 18 November. Click Read More for key facts and figures on this tie.

Davis Cup history

This will be the 100th final in the history of the Davis Cup, which is currently in its 101st season. The 1974 final was scratched and the cup was won via walkover.

The Venue

For the second time, Prague’s O2 Arena will serve as a Davis Cup venue. It also saw Czech Republic defeat Serbia in this year’s quarterfinals. Before that, the majority of Czech Republic’s Davis Cup home ties took place in Ostrava.

Head-to-head

Since the introduction of the World Group era (1981), Spain and Czech Republic have met on two previous occasions. In the Last 16 round in 2004, Spain won 3-2 away in Brno. In the 2009 final, Spain won one of three whitewash finales in the World Group era, crushing the Czechs 5-0 in Barcelona.

Czech Republic v Spain will be the ninth repeat final in the World Group era. Spain have also met Australia and Argentina twice in the final.

Czech Republic

Czech Republic won the last Davis Cup before the instalment of the World Group era. In 1980, then operating as Czechoslovakia, it relied on two players only, Ivan Lendl and Tomas Smid, to beat Italy in the final.

The Czechs have finished runners-up twice, losing 3-2 against Sweden in 1975 and 5-0 against Spain in 2009.

The Czechs have won four successive Davis Cup ties after suffering a shock defeat at the hands of Kazakhstan in the Last 16 round last season.

They bounced back to beat Romania 3-2 in promotion/relegation to maintain their World Group berth. They defeated Italy (4-1), Serbia (4-1) and Argentina (3-2) to reach the final.

Tomás Berdých has won his last six singles matches in the Davis Cup and is 5-0 in them this season.

Berdých is 15-1 in Davis Cup doubles matches, most of the time partnering Radek Stepanek, who is 13-2 in them. Berdých’s only Davis Cup doubles defeat came in the 2009 final against Spain, when the twosome lost to the pairing of Feliciano López and Fernando Verdasco.

Spain

Spain are 5-3 in Davis Cup finals and 5-1 since the World Group was introduced.

Spain have won the Davis Cup in three of the last four seasons.

Spain have won their last seven Davis Cup ties, since suffering a whitewash defeat against France in the 2010 quarterfinals.

This is Spain’s sixth successive away tie that takes place on a hardcourt and is played indoors. They have won four of the previous five, the exception being the 5-0 defeat against France.

Spain are without the injured Rafael Nadal, who has a 22-5 lifetime record in the Davis Cup. He is 20-1 in singles and 2-4 in doubles.

Nicolás Almagro is 5-0 in singles in the Davis Cup this season and David Ferrer is 4-0. Their doubles combination of Marcel Granollers and Marc López is 1-2.

Ferrer has won each of his last seven singles matches in the Davis Cup, since losing to Gaël Monfils in the 2010 quarterfinals. Ferrer’s lifetime Davis Cup record is 21-4, all accumulated in singles.