The reigning Spain - Davis Cup Winner

Spain's team ethos shone through as they won their third Davis Cup crown on a weekend of captivating drama in Mar del Plata.

We've had a few disappointing finals recently - last year's between the US and Russia was pretty drab, while Russia against Argentina in 2006 never really got going.

But this one delivered and the overriding memory for me will be the togetherness and sheer joy of the small nucleus of Spanish players and supporters as they celebrated victory amid 10,000 people in a packed stadium.

The moment belonged to Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco who combined to win the crucial doubles inbetween their respective singles successes.

The first match was relatively straightforward: David Ferrer came into the final with a lack of confidence and never got anything going, while David Nalbandian had the bit between his teeth and was all over his opponent from the start. Rubber one was almost a formality for Argentina.

But each of the other matches could have gone either way at different stages; they were games you couldn't take your eyes off.

Hostile
Juan Martin Del Potro won the first set of his match with Lopez but the Spaniard rose to the challenge and showed a lot of character - more than people thought that he had.

It was a pretty hostile environment so to rebound from a set down in both the singles and doubles in the manner that he did said a lot about him.

I don't think this will transform Lopez's singles form that dramatically next year as there are so few events played in those exact conditions.

He still got a few little weaknesses that the top guys will take advantage of; he's not the greatest mover - people can outmanoeuvre him and get him out of position and also his first serve is not as devastating as some and his slice backhand is not as effective.

You are only talking about five percent in every area but against the better guys that's all it takes for you to come out on the other side.

Del Potro didn't seem to have a Masters Cup hangover and if he had gone on and taken the second set then I think he would have won the match but he couldn't clinch it on the breaker and the combination of the opponent and the occasion got to him.


Compelling
Tellingly, Lopez and Verdasco looked like a team in the doubles; they've played together all year virtually while Nalbandian, who came in for Jose Acasuso, was a little bit disappointing in that match.

When it was going well he was all over Agustin Calleri but otherwise he was a little bit despondent and I don't think he helped his partner as much as he could have done.

I think everyone recognised that whoever won the doubles was going to have a great shot at closing out the final as Nalbandian would have fancied his chances in the reverse singles.

The tennis in the fourth rubber wasn't great until the fourth and fifth set when Verdasco calmed down and started playing a bit more to Acasuso's backhand but it wasn't a classic contest in terms of the beauty of the game even though it was compelling viewing.