EINDHOVEN, Netherlands -- Outgoing Davis
Cup champion Spain avoided a whitewash against the Netherlands
on Sunday when Carlos Moya defeated Raemon Sluiter 6-4, 7-6 (2) to limit
the damage to a 4-1 first round defeat.
|  | | Spanish tennis player Carlos Moya redeemed some of his country's pride by defeating Dutch player Raemon Sluiter in two sets 6-4, 7-6 on Sunday. |
But the small measure of pride regained for the Spanish was
little consolation as the Dutch completed a crushing win.
The Netherlands clinched the tie on the opening two days as
Sluiter beat Juan Carlos Ferrero in a five-set thriller, Sjeng
Schalken crushed Moya in straight sets and then Schalken and
Paul Haarhuis teamed up to beat Alex Corretja and Juan Balcells.
Jan Siemerink set up the chance of a clean sweep on Sunday
with a 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 success over the battling Balcells before
Moya gained the last point for Spain.
"As far as it goes it's nice to win but of course we're
still very disappointed," Moya said.
Coach Jordi Arrese said: "It wasn't a disaster. We played
well and had chances in all the games, but the Dutch won because
they played better than us."
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Dutch Davis Cup captain Tjerk Bogtstra is hoping to have Richard Krajicek back
fit for the tough Davis Cup quarterfinal against Germany.
The Netherlands made light of Krajicek's absence, due to an
elbow injury, as they trounced defending champions Spain 4-1 in
the world group opening round this weekend.
But 1996 Wimbledon champion Krajicek will be made welcome
against Germany, scheduled for April 6-8 in the Netherlands.
"I certainly hope Krajicek will be available," Bogstra said. "He's a
very important player for us and he hope he's there.
"I'm confident about our chances for the second round but
Germany, with Nicolas Kiefer and Tommy Haas, will be very tough
opponents."
Bogtstra said he was undecided about whether to play the tie
on the same indoor carpet surface that caused so many problems
for the Spanish.
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The Dutch can now look forward to a second round tie against
Germany while Spain face a play-off to avoid dropping out of the
world group.
Spain's clay court specialists appeared more comfortable on
the fast indoor carpet in Eindhoven on Sunday, with both Moya
and Balcells opting to attack whenever possible.
Siemerink, playing his first match in the tie after Sluiter
was preferred for the opening day's singles, had to come from a
set down to give his side the fourth point after Balcells
started impressively.
Early advantage
After losing the first set tie-break 11-9, Siemerink broke early
in the next and again for 5-2.
Balcells, beaten in the doubles on Saturday, came back for
4-5 but Siemerink held on to force the decider.
There were no breaks in the final set but Siemerink gained
an early advantage in the tiebreak. A weak Balcells volley
opened up the court for a rifled backhand pass and a 3-1 lead
that proved decisive.
Sluiter, a surprise choice to replace the injured Richard
Krajicek on the opening day, could find none of the magic that
saw him beat Ferrero and set his side on the road to victory.
Moya broke him in game five of the first set and clinched it
with a stunning forehand pass down the line on his first set
point at 5-4 and 40-0.
The former French Open champion broke in the first game of
the second before Sluiter mounted a late recovery, breaking back
as Moya served for the match in game 10 and forcing the tiebreak
that the Spaniard eventually took 7-2.
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