Because we are different.

Czechs lift Davis Cup

19 November 2012

Prague, 19 Nov: Radek Stepanek won a pulsating fifth rubber to steer the Czech Republic to claim the Davis Cup for the first time as an independent nation by beating defending champions Spain 3-2, in the 100th year of competition. According to the Davis Cup website, the Czech Sunday created his own little piece of history by becoming the first 30-plus player to win a fifth live rubber in 100 years by overpowering world number 11 Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 7-6 (7-0), 3-6, 6-3. Earlier in the opening singles, David Ferrer beat Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-3, 7-5, to tie the rubber 2-2 for Spain. Thus, the Czech Republic became the first nation to simultaneously hold the Davis Cup, Fed Cup and Hopman Cup.
The Czechs won the Davis Cup as part of Czechoslovakia 30 years ago when Ival Lendl and Tomas Smid did exactly what Berdych and Stepanek did spending entire three days on the court to play both singles & doubles to beat Italy 4-1 in the 1980 final. ians