Moya Gives Spain a 2-0 Lead
http://www.daviscup.org/news/newsarticle.asp?id=12378
Carlos Moya came off best in an almighty struggle with Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic
to win 67 (5) 61 64 64 and give Spain a 2-0 lead after the opening day's
singles in the quarterfinals of the Davis Cup by Paribas.
Moya, looking to follow up Juan Carlos Ferrero's win over Mario Ancic, was on
the back foot from the start against the huge serve of Ljubicic. The Spaniard
came back from losing the first set to claim a memorable win, however, and
leave Croatia needing to win Saturday's doubles to stand a chance of making the
semi-finals.
Ljubicic went into the match with a one hundred percent record from previous
meetings with Moya and the way he served early on suggested another victory was
on the cards. The Croat briefly lost his rhythm in the seventh game, though, to
present his opponent with a chance. At 15-40 down, he missed with his first
serve down the middle and then went for another ace with his second serve only
to miss the target once again and give Moya the first break of the match.
Moya consolidated and earned the chance to serve for the set at 5-4 but here
the Mallorcan's nerve deserted him, as he sent a drive volley into the net when
30-0 up. Ljubicic capitalised on that error to break back by winning the next
three points and force a tiebreak. In the decider, the Croat took a 6-5 lead
and Moya gave him the set as he put a forehand approach wide when aiming for
the line.
Moya broke at the start of the second set as Ljubicic's uncompromising serve
got him in trouble again. The Croat managed to save four break points against
the scampering Spaniard but on the fifth he double-faulted to hand Moya a 2-0
advantage. Moya grew in confidence and went on to gain another break before
serving for the set at 5-1. The nerves that cost him the first set looked to be
kicking in again as he served two double faults on his first two set-points but
Ljubicic was making too many unforced errors and he soon presented Moya with a
third opportunity for the set in 39 minutes.
Moya edged clear in the fourth set at 4-3, missing on the backhand but taking a
second break point with a finely judged forehand winner, and he saved five
break points in the next to move 5-3 ahead. Ljubicic kept up the pressure by
holding in his next service game and appeared certain to break back as he
backed Moya into a corner at 0-40 in the next. Moya once again showed great
guts to force deuce, though, and he saved a fourth break-point before taking
the set with a booming service winner for 64 in 53 minutes.
Only one point went against serve in the opening six games of the fourth set as
the standard of tennis, as well as the levels of tension, remained high.
Ljubicic was once again first to blink, putting a limp backhand into the net to
give Moya break point in game seven and then sending an attempted forehand
winner wildly long. That was all the advantage Moya needed and, roared on by
the appreciative Spanish crowd, he completed victory by scooping up an
attempted Ljubicic drop shot and then slamming down an ace on his first match
point.
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