Spain's Doubles Resolve Seals Davis Cup Semifinal Spot
Beneath Bologna's arena lights, a veteran Spanish pair turned tiebreak peril into triumph, outlasting Czechia's rising stars to revive national hopes after six lean years.
In the charged confines of Bologna's Unipol Arena on November 20, 2025, Spain's Davis Cup quarterfinal against Czechia reached a fever pitch with the tie locked at 1-1. The indoor hard courts amplified every serve and rally, drawing a crowd whose murmurs built like a gathering storm. Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez, embodying Spain's storied grit, faced Tomas Machac and Jakub Mensik in a doubles rubber that would decide advancement to the semifinals.
Youth surges in singles openers
The opening rubber showcased raw power as 20-year-old Jakub Mensik overpowered Pablo Carreno Busta 7-5, 6-4. Mensik's blistering inside-out forehands and crosscourt returns pinned the Spaniard deep, exploiting the surface's speed to claim an early lead for Czechia. His aggressive baseline game, laced with flat backhands down-the-line, fed off the traveling fans' energy, setting a tone of bold disruption against a Spanish side seeking redemption.
Jaume Munar steadied the ship in the second singles, dismantling Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-4 through patient disruption. He deployed deep underspin slices to slow the rallies on the hard court, forcing errors and opening angles for one–two approaches that neutralized Lehecka's power. This tactical shift leveled the encounter, handing psychological momentum back to the veterans as the arena's atmosphere thickened with anticipation for the decider.
Veterans conquer tiebreak drama
At 39, Granollers drew on his former No. 1 doubles pedigree, partnering the 28-year-old Martinez to form an unyielding front against the Czech duo's athletic bursts. The first set hurtled to a 7-6(8) tiebreak, where the Spaniards erased three set points with Granollers' sharp volleys and Martinez's low returns that induced overhasty net rushes. Their composure turned the crowd's tension into surging Spanish chants, edging a set through endurance rather than flash.
The second set echoed the intensity, another 6-6 deadlock demanding flawless execution. Machac and Mensik pressed with inside-in forehands and quick poaches, but the pair saved two more set points via Martinez's steady baseline coverage and Granollers' crosscourt lobs that exploited positioning gaps. Victory arrived at 8-9 in the breaker when Mensik's double fault under mounting pressure handed Spain the 7-6(8) clincher, a testament to mental steel forged in ATP circuits.
Final 4
Granollers and Martinez win the tie for Team Spain, outlasting Machac/Mensik 7-6(8) 7-6(8) to reach the semi-finals! 🇪🇸@DavisCup | #DavisCup | @RFETenis pic.twitter.com/WD3ZQwQ9gf— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 20, 2025
Semifinal path revives champions' edge
This gritty 2-1 triumph propels a six-time Davis Cup champion into the semifinals for the first time since the 2019 title, blending historical weight with renewed resolve. Granollers and Martinez's five set-point saves highlighted a team's evolution through injuries and upsets, their synergy on the low-bouncing hard outpacing Czechia's top-50 potential. As @DavisCup fervor builds alongside #DavisCup buzz and @RFETenis backing, Spain eyes a Saturday showdown with Germany or Argentina, where tactical depth could extend their legacy amid the Final 4's electric pulse.
