Spain won the Davis Cup in 2000, and the Action Network spoke exclusively to representatives from that team, who shared what it would mean for Spain to win it again.
Spain won the Davis Cup for the first time in 2000, and since then, the country has won it five times. Now, members from the team are looking to replicate the big success they previously enjoyed.
This year, Spain sensationally turned around Denmark's 2-0 lead and won the tie 3-2, sending the country to the Davis Cup Tennis Finals, set to be held in Bologna in November.
Joan Bancells and Alex Corretja, who played on the 2000 team, share their memories from winning the trophy and discuss what it would mean for the country and their players to win it again.
It was 'like being on the shoulder of some giants'
The year 2000 was a one for Balcells. He won the biggest title in his single career in Bucharest, but even bigger than that he won the Davis Cup with Spain. The 50-year-old is looking back at that moment with his eyes full of enjoyment.
“We have very nice memories from winning the Davis Cup trophy in 2000. It was a wonderful year for all of us. The whole country was waiting to get this trophy after we had lost two finals against Australia many years before this.”
Joan Balcells reached a career high of 57, but despite having a very successful career, he wasn't near the achievements of his teammates, yet he achieved the biggest trophy of his life together with them.
He remembers it as if he were standing on the shoulders of giants.
“Personally, to be in a team with these amazing players like Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alex Corretja and Albert Costa was fantastic. They were top players and I wasn't even in the top 50.”
“I was improving, but being next to them was like being on the shoulder of some giants. It was a really great experience.”
Corretja: One of the best moments in my life
Despite having a quite noticeable résumé with 17 singles titles, a career high of No. 2 in the world and being a two-time Grand Slam runner-up, Alex Corretja is looking back at the Davis Cup win as one of the best moments in his life.
“It is definitely one of the best moments of my career and my life in general. We worked together very hard to be able to win the trophy.
"The coaches and the players worked so hard throughout the whole year, and it took a lot of energy. We had so many nerves during the matches, but we handled it very well.”
A cheeky smile appears on Corretja`s face, before he admits that he never gets tired of looking at the big trophy, which is placed just next to him.
“The memories are very nice and it is really good to remember it again.”
'It meant almost as much as winning a Grand Slam'
One could argue that winning the trophy for the seventh time might not be as big, but Balcells doesn't see it that way.
He even compares winning the Davis Cup to winning a Grand Slam, at least for himself when he played.
“Of course, our Davis Cup trophy was the first one for Spain, but that doesn't mean that this Davis Cup trophy is less important at all. The competition is very demanding and all the best players in the world are playing for their country, so to win it again would be a very big success.
“Back then, it meant almost as much as winning a Grand Slam. It truly means a lot, and I really believe the players today as well think it is a very important event.”
Balcells ends the interview by expressing how much it would mean for Spain to win the trophy again.
“It would mean everything to Spain and to our players to win this trophy.”
"Everything" is probably a good way to describe it. At least, that was how it felt when looking at the Spanish crowd while being in the press stands in Marbella.
The Davis Cup finals are played in November and take place in Bologna.
The eight countries to qualify for the finals are Argentina, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Czechia, France, Spain and the host country Italy.
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