Spain Evens the Score Against Australia, 1-1

The Davis Cup final looks like a jinx for Pat Rafter.

The former world’s No. 1 player missed Australia’s winning final last year against France because of surgery a few weeks earlier on his right shoulder.

He made it to this year’s final, but cramps forced him to retire Friday in the fourth set against Juan Carlos Ferrero as Spain gained a 1-1 split after the opening day’s singles.

Ferrero, a surprise choice to play instead of Spain’s top player, Alex Corretja, won, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2) 6-2, 3-1, before a sellout crowd of 14,000 whistling and willing on a team chasing its first Davis Cup title. Australia has won the prestigious international team trophy 27 times.

In the first singles match, Lleyton Hewitt defeated Albert Costa, 3-6, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, in a match that had the Australian ripping the crowd as the “worst” he’d ever played before.

“I don’t mind whistling, but you’re not playing a soccer game out there,” said Hewitt, who has been criticized for his chest-thumping, fist-waving on-court tactics.

Australian captain John Newcombe said the crowd was loud but expected in the Davis Cup.

“Hewitt didn’t do anything to insult the crowd, but they wanted to upset him because of his character,” he said. “They were making a lot of noise. That’s what you expect.”

Spanish captain Javier Duarte had no complaints.

“The fans were great, well-mannered and did the right thing,” he said. “I would give them a 9 out of 10. But we still need them to be even more active.”

Rafter apparently suffered back and hip injuries in the eighth game of the third set. He leaped high into the air for an overhead and came down off balance.

He completed that game to end the set, then lasted four more games before signaling he’d had enough.

Newcombe said Rafter retired as a precaution, but the Australian captain expected him to play Sunday’s reverse singles.

In today’s doubles, Corretja was to team with Joan Balcells against Sandon Stolle and Mark Woodforde.