Spain set up Davis Cup final showdown with Italy
Spain will face two-time defending champions Italy for the Davis Cup title after beating Germany in a deciding doubles match to reach their first final in six years.
Pablo Carreno Busta gave Spain an early lead with victory over Jan-Lennard Struff in the opening singles.
But German world number three Alexander Zverev battled past Jaume Munar to send the tie to a decider.
Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez, called upon to settle their nation's quarter-final against the Czech Republic on Thursday, delivered once again to beat Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-2 3-6 6-3.
It is a first final for six-time champions Spain since 2019 – and an especially pleasing one given the absence of injured world number one Carlos Alcaraz.
They face another tough task against home favourites Italy in the showpiece in Bologna on Sunday from 14:00 GMT.
Italy – themselves without world number two Jannik Sinner and eighth-ranked Lorenzo Musetti – beat Belgium on Friday to reach their third consecutive final.
Spain and Italy are set for their first Davis Cup meeting for 19 years, having last faced each other in the 2006 World Group play-offs when team captains David Ferrer and Filippo Volandri both played.
Spain captain Ferrer said: "I am really proud of my players, they fought a lot to be here.
"We are really excited but we have to rest and be ready for the final.
"Italy have very good players. They do not have Jannik and Lorenzo, but also we do not have Carlos. I am sure that we will compete."
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Both Spain and Germany's doubles pairings had already experienced high-stakes matches this week, although it was Krawietz and Puetz who prevailed in more dramatic circumstances as they saved three match points to complete Germany's comeback against Argentina shortly after 1am local time.
Granollers and Martinez were dominant in the opening set, quickly taking a 4-0 lead – but a single break of serve for Krawietz and Puetz in the second was enough to force a decider.
It was the Spanish duo who ultimately finished the stronger, however, breaking to love in the fourth game of the decider and holding their nerve to see out victory at the first opportunity.
Carreno Busta had given Spain the perfect start on Saturday afternoon with a 6-4 7-6 (8-6) win over Struff.
After failing to take his first three match points on Struff's serve at 5-4 in the second set 5-4, the 89th-ranked Carreno Busta then had to rally from 6-1 down in the tie-break.
Zverev, the only top-10 singles player competing at this year's Finals, said after his 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-5) victory he had not been feeling well in the lead-up to the tie.
The out-of-sorts German made 28 unforced errors but found consistency when it mattered to win both tie-breaks against world number 36 Munar.
However, the doubles loss means Germany's wait for a first final appearance since 1993 goes on.
