Berdych outlasts Almagro to pull Czechs level

Tomas Berdych survived a three-hour marathon to overcome Nicolas Almagro last night and put the Czech Republic level after the opening day of the Davis Cup final in Prague.

Berdych held off Almagro’s fiery fightback to prevail 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 to leave the tie level at 1-1 ahead of today’s doubles rubber.

Earlier, yesterday, David Ferrer put holders Spain 1-0 ahead after beating Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Ferrer,Spain’s number one, outplayed the 37th-ranked Stepanek on the hardcourt of the O2 Arena in two hours and 58 minutes.

“I played very well all the match. I’m very happy with my game,” the 30-year-old Ferrer said just after the rubber.

“I was lucky because in the important moments I played better than Radek,” he added after winning the seventh out of ten rubbers against Stepanek.

With five double faults and first-serve percentage just over 50 percent, Stepanek said “the biggest difference was in the serve.”

“I wanted to put him under pressure with high percentage of the first serve, coming to the net, taking the activity, changing the rhythm.”

“But I played lots of points from the second serve and then his part of the game was more efficient than mine,” added Stepanek, 33.

Before the rubber, Ferrer predicted a close game recalling a five-setter they played in the 2009 Davis Cup finals when he finally helped Spain thrash the Czechs 5-0.

But Stepanek, the Czech number two player, offered little resistance.

In the first set, Stepanek came back from 0-40 through 11 deuces in game six but then lost his serve two games later.

Ferrer then took the second set with two breaks against Stepanek’s one, before completing the job after converting his second match point following another two breaks in the last set.

“We’re 1-0 up, but we haven’t finished the tie, it’s a very long one,” said Ferrer.

Despite concerns about a very fast court prepared by the hosts, Ferrer said he felt comfortable.

“It was very fast but I received very well and this maybe was the key,” he added.

Today, Stepanek is likely to team up with Berdych to face Spain’s ATP World Finals winners Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez in the doubles rubber.

“I’ll have a rest, support Tomas and be ready for tomorrow,” said Stepanek.

“I’ll have to save every bit of energy, I’ll need it during the weekend,” he added.