Spain Doesn’t Draw Out Drama

Whether it was returning Andy Roddick’s serve, feathering numerous drop shots or appearing unflappable as a fan sprinted onto the court and invaded his personal space in the third set, one thing seemed clear here at Estadio Olimpico.

Carlos Moya was the coolest guy in the place.

At least until Roddick netted a backhand return on match point Sunday, clinching Spain’s victory in the Davis Cup finals. Then the 28-year-old from Mallorca let his emotion flow, dropping to his back after realizing his long-delayed Davis Cup dream. Later, when his teammates dropped him the first time they tried to throw him in the air, it was a rare unforced error on a day of Spanish celebration in front of 27,000-plus fans.

Moya’s 6-2, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (5) victory over Roddick came in the first of two singles matches Sunday to give the Spaniards an insurmountable 3-1 lead over the Americans in the best-of-five-match finals. The final score ended up Spain 3, U.S. 2, only because Mardy Fish defeated Tommy Robredo, 7-6 (8), 6-2, in the last match, which had been rendered meaningless.

The U.S., trying to win its first Davis Cup since 1995, was simply overmatched on the red clay, not surprising considering recent results on the surface. Former Wimbledon champion Manuel Santana declared before the finals that Spain would win and Fish would not be able to win a singles match.

Well, Santana was one for two. It turned out Roddick went 0 for 2, winning only one set in two matches. Against Moya, he started slowly but found his way in the second before playing a perplexing tiebreaker. Roddick won the first point with a forehand down the line and went on to drop the next seven points.

“I’ll kick myself a little bit, but I have nothing to be ashamed of,” Roddick said. “I gave it my all. I prepared myself the best I could. I’m obviously upset with myself I couldn’t get a win. But I’m not going to walk out of here with my head down.”

Roddick was hindered by a right groin injury suffered early in the second set and needed treatment afterward, an official said. U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe revealed later that he nearly took a drastic step late in the second set.

“I was at one point considering stopping the match,” McEnroe said.

But McEnroe consulted with Roddick and his personal trainer Doug Spreen and felt comfortable in allowing him to continue.

Considering that, Roddick’s performance seemed admirable. He also took the high road in a news conference, minimizing the injury. Later, he found the wherewithal to play in an impromptu game of “baseball” on the stadium grass between the U.S. players and the staff. The Americans were trying to hit a tennis ball with the handle of a tennis racket. Roddick wisely had a baserunner go in for him at one juncture.

Not far away, the Spaniards were accepting the Davis Cup, posing for photos and making speeches in an exuberant ceremony. They have won it twice in five years. Four years ago, as his country won the Cup, Moya had to watch from the stands because a back injury earlier in the year kept him from being considered.

“When we managed to get into this [competition] almost two months ago, I started dreaming” about it, Moya said. “People have told me many times that I was becoming completely obsessed with this ... but I think it’s good because it’s my way of dealing with things.”

Sunday’s match was marred by a bizarre incident of fan invasion. Despite heavy security, a Catalan known as “Jumping Jimmy” got onto the court just before the ninth game of the third set and dashed over to Moya’s side. He was carrying a wooden beach-paddle racket.

Moya was unfazed and didn’t move. He let Jimmy put a silly red hat on his head before security moved in. The fan is well known for such adventures in Spain and Portugal, usually at soccer games.

“I know him,” said Moya, who calmed the crowd by motioning with his hands. “He’s been doing this for a long time. He’s never hurting anybody ... I didn’t do anything because I know him. If you know him, you’re not scared.”

Not so with Moya’s opponent.

“At first I was scared,” Roddick said. “I didn’t know who it was and I see some guy running on to the court with a wooden ... bat or whatever it was. I mean, my heart jumped when I first saw it. It was scary. Then when he started doing his thing, I had to restrain myself from going and getting myself. But he had a very nice hat.”

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Talk quickly shifted to the next U.S. Davis Cup campaign, which starts in March against Croatia at the Home Depot Center in Carson. McEnroe plans to speak again with Andre Agassi about returning for the first time since 2000.

“I don’t know where his head is at, but he’s never completely shut the door on playing Davis Cup to me,” McEnroe said. “He’s never said to me, ‘Oh, I’m never playing Davis Cup again.’ As long as he hasn’t said that to me, I’m going to keep asking.”

He also said that Fish didn’t necessarily have the second singles spot locked up for next year.