Corretja & Balcells ensure sad exit for Woodforde

The result means defending champions Australia now have to win both reverse singles on Sunday if they are to capture their 28th title.

That, and the result, made it a sad exit for Woodforde, retiring at 35.

Spain now can rest up overnight ahead of the final day secure in the knowledge that the team winning the doubles rubber has gone on to lift the `salad bowl’ trophy every year since the inception of the World Group in 1981.

After winning the toss and electing to receive the Spaniards broke the Stolle serve with a brilliant Corretja backhand return down the line and that was enough for a set lead as they finally converted a fifth set point.

The match really began to catch fire in the second set as Spain squandered five break points on the Woodforde serve in the fifth game.

Aussie coach John Newcombe then broke into a grin as Corretja dropped serve to love to put the visitors 4-2 ahead.

But two Woodforde errors ensured a breakback on the Stolle serve and Stolle then fired long as Woodforde conceded his own service to put the Spanish 5-4 up.

Corretja, roared on by cries of “Alex, Alex”, then saw his partner put away an overhead volley despite falling backwards to send his team two sets clear.

In the seventh game of the third the Spaniards broke Woodforde again as the Aussie netted but a Stolle volley at the net produced the immediate rebreak for 4-4.

However, Balcells engineered a break for 5-4 and the cries of “campeones” (champions) rippled once again around the packed arena.

Appropriately, it was Balcells who again brought his serve through when Stolle netted a forehand to concede the match.

Aussies slam Spanish crowd

Australian captain John Newcombe has blasted the Barcelona crowd after Spain won the doubles to take a 2-1 lead over his men in the Davis Cup final.

He blasted the Spanish fans, who made up the bulk of the 14,500 crowd, for unsportingly booing their guests.

Newcombe made an official complaint to the tournament authorities and said he was disgusted by the fans’ attitude.

“I’ve never been in a match like today when 14,000 people booed whenever our boys hit a winner. Yesterday I let it go as it was the first day,” said Newcombe. “It’s not in the spirit of what Davis Cup is all about. They (the fans) might feel proud but the whole world is watching this.”

“Spanish people need to look at themselves, where they are coming from,” added Newcombe.