The defeats of Bernabé Zapata and Alejandro Davidovich have sentenced Spain this Wednesday, which conceded against the Czech Republic in its debut in the Group Stage of the Davis Cup.
Zapata has lost to Tomas Machac (double 6-4) and Davidovich, to Lehecka (7-6 (4) and 6-3).
David Ferrer's team, debutant as captain in the country tournament par excellence, has never found its tone. Neither Zapata, also a debutant, nor Davidovich have been able to win a single set against supposedly inferior rivals. Machac, currently ranked 119th in the world, has barely cracked the Top 100 on any occasion (he had been 97th at the end of last year). Lehecka, 30th on the circuit, has no ATP titles or moments of brilliance.
The absence of Carlos Alcaraz, devastated after his last performance at the US Open, and the still limping Rafael Nadal, have weighed too heavily on the Spanish team, which feels orphaned without its two great figures.
The situation is extremely complicated for the Spanish, whose chances of entering the final phase are now lower. While Davidovich and Zapata bowed their knees, Novak Djokovic landed in Malaga and was seen, racket in hand, in his first training sessions.
Spain and Serbia face each other this Friday, starting at 3 p.m. Only two of the four teams advance to the final phase.
