By Alexia Krause
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (TheSportsNEXT) November 19, 2012: Radek Stepanek outlasted Nicolas Almagro in a four-set thriller in front of around 14,600-people home crowd at the O2 Arena on Sunday as Czech Republic dethroned Spain from the Davis Cup supremacy in an exuberant fashion.
Radek Stepanek won the first set by 6-4 but found stiff resistance in the second set but still managed to keep Nicolas Almagro at bay and clinched the second set by 7-6.
However, the Spaniard Almagro bounced back in contention with a strong show in the third set which he eventually won by 6-3 but failed to keep his momentum and concentration level in the fourth set which the Czech grabbed by 6-3 to win the final match of the Davis Cup by 6-4 7-6 3-6 6-3.
As soon as he won the final set, Stepanek jumped over the net and was hugged by his team-mates before he raced to his wife with tears making an ace on to his cheeks.
This is the first time for Czech Republic as an independent country that they have won a Davis Cup title. They won it 32 years ago when they were part of the Czechoslovakia with Ivan Lendl leading the side.
With this title, the Czech Republic also became the first nation to win the Davis Cup, Fed Cup team trophies for men and women as well as the mixed Hopman Cup titles in a calendar year.
Earlier in the day, David Ferrer, who is enjoying the best form of his lifetime, stunned the local crowd when he outplayed the local favorite Tomas Berdych by 6-2 6-3 7-5 to equalize the five-match tie at 202.
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