Carreño and Granollers achieve the longed-for 3-0

The Spanish couple formed by Pablo Carreño and Marcel Granollers were very favorite to beat Ecuador, which already had practically nothing at stake. But that in the Davis Cup doesn’t mean anything. It was necessary to sweat ink to pass over Gonzalo Escobar and Diego Hidalgo, the Ecuadorian couple who came to draw for a game and who was about to put Spain in a drama (6-4, 6-7 (5) and 7- 6 (2)).

Carreño, who had been fighting for two and a half hours in the individual, jumped onto the track a few minutes after beating Emilio Gómez to replace Feliciano López, who remained in the stands. The Asturian was a solid option next to Marcel Granollers, just landed from the Masters Cup. This was demonstrated in the first minutes of the game, with a couple fueling to perfection and leading 4-0. There was a small downturn at the end of the set, but Spain certified 6-4 in the first set.

That blow seemed definitive against an Ecuador that had just lost both games, but Granollers and Carreño gave them wings by wasting five break points in the second set and with a ‘tie break’ to forget. After a magnificent start and after going to the change 4-2 up, Hidalgo and Escobar won four points in a row and at the second opportunity they forced the third set. There was still room to redeem itself, but Ecuador struck first. ‘Break’ in favor, they had the opportunity to win the game with the serve, but they betrayed their nerves.

Spain went from being two points away from defeat to being measured in another ‘tie break’. And there was another unstoppable start. 3-0 up. This time there was no escape. And this was done by an accurate Granollers, who clenched his fist and the victory for a Spain that with 3-0 at the crossroads looks with more optimism at the giant that is Russia.