Spain won its fifth Davis Cup title after Rafael Nadal recovered from a terrible start, holding on to beat Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (0) on Sunday, Dec 4 to give the hosts an insurmountable 3-1 lead.

“I’ve never had the chance to secure the winning point of a Davis Cup. In the end it came down to me,” said Nadal, who ensured Argentina remained the only nation to play in four finals without a victory.

“Today is one of the most emotional days of my career,” said Nadal, a 10-time major champion who won the title for the third time of his career. “After such a difficult year, this was a spectacular finale to the season. To win a final this way is very special,” sports media quoted the player as saying.