2 Responses to daviscup04nadal_roddick

1. Voo de Mar says:

   November 27, 2024 at 8:46 am

   Points won by each set: | 46-46, 30-15, 64-57, 26-14 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   13 % Nadal – 19 of 136
   20 % Roddick – 33 of 162

   The Spaniards decided to host this Davis Cup final in a massive stadium in Seville, constructing a special roof to cover the enormous crowd. It was estimated that 27,200 spectators attended on the first day of the tie (tee biggest tennis attendance in a professional match). In hindsight, it might seem strange to think of Roddick as a favorite against Nadal on clay, but 20 years ago, that was indeed the case. At the time, Roddick was a top player just behind Federer, expected by many to win multiple Grand Slam titles, while muscular teenager Nadal, ranked 51st from Mallorca, was a rising star with his French Open debut still ahead of him and only one title (Sopot) to his name.
   It was a bold decision by Jordi Arrese (the Olympic silver medalist from Barcelona ’92) to choose Nadal over Juan Carlos Ferrero, even though the 18-year-old had performed well in earlier ties leading to the final #. This decision turned out to be pivotal, not only because Nadal won such a crucial match but also because it marked a turning point in his career. He triumphed in a dramatic and gruelling contest (3 hours and 40 minutes; Roddick’s longest four-set match ever, Nadal’s clearly longest match at the time), dispelling doubts about his mental & physical resilience. Entering the final, Nadal’s record in deciding third-set tie-breaks was just 0:4, and he had only played one five-set (short) match, which he won. Nadal and Roddick had met for the first time a few months earlier, with Roddick demolishing the teenager 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. A repeat of that result was unlikely on Nadal’s favorite surface, but the indoor conditions under the Seville roof still allowed Roddick to unleash his powerful serve effectively. The American’s game plan was clear: attack the net frequently, even behind second serves. However, he moved away from this approach after the opener. The match began with four breaks of serve in the first five games, and Nadal led *4:1 in the tie-break. Roddick, demonstrating his greater experience in high-pressure moments, took the tie-break 8/6 though. However, this effort drained him, and he struggled to hold serve comfortably for the next 10 service games. The 3rd set was an epic battle, with Roddick pushed to ‘deuce’ in his every service game! He saved break points in four of those games while creating opportunities in three of Nadal’s service games. It was a chaotic, hard-fought set that might have been the longest in terms of total points played in both players’ careers (Nadal eventually won seven points more: 64-57). At 2:1 for Nadal in that set (advantage Roddick), a rare incident occurred: just before Roddick’s volley, someone shouted from the crowd, distracting him. Roddick missed the volley, lost he point, and Spain was penalized a point, forcing Roddick to serve twice in a row on the ad-court. At *5:6 (15/40), Roddick saved two set points with brilliant net play and had a set point of his own at 6:5* in the tie-break. Nadal responded with a dropshot during an eight-shot rally, and Roddick’s forehand clipped the net-cord but the ball stayed on his side. At 6-all, Nadal surprised everyone with his only serve-and-volley attempt of the match, hitting a forehand drive-volley winner. He finally closed out the set on his third set point with a passing-shot. Losing the marathon set appeared to break Roddick’s spirit. Later, it was revealed that the low temperature inside the venue caused mild cramping, which hampered his movement in the 4th set. Nadal quickly raced to a 5:1 lead and secured what was then the biggest victory of his career, celebrating on his back in front of the euphoric home crowd. Two days later Roddick lost in straights to another Mallorcan (Moya), and Spain got the Davis Cup for the second time in four years.

   Serve & volley: Nadal 1/1, Roddick 22/40

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   November 27, 2024 at 1:14 pm

   # Nadal finished his career with one of the greatest Davis Cup records in singles (29-2), losing his first and last match… In his maiden year as a Spanish representative in the Davis Cup ’04, he lost his debut to Jiri Novak, but won a clincher against Stepanek, and Spain ousted Czechia 3-2. In the semifinal against France, he clinched the tie facing Clement (fourth rubber)… 20 years later he finished his career losing to Van de Zandschulp as Spain suffered elimination by the Netherlands 1-2.

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