SYDNEY: Spain fought back from a 2-0 deficit to qualify for the Davis Cup Final 8 with a 3-2 win over Denmark in their qualifying tie, while Australia’s comeback attempt fell short as Belgium took victory in the decisive match on Sunday.

Spain and Belgium joined Argentina, Austria, France, Germany, Czech Republic and defending champions Italy in the Final 8, which will take place in Bologna in November.

Denmark, who won both the matches on Saturday in Marbella, were one win away from winning the tie, but the pair of Pedro Martinez and Jaume Munar won the doubles tie to keep the hosts in contention.

Martinez then saved a match point and forced a tiebreak in the third set to beat world number 11 Holger Rune 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(7/3) to level the tie for Spain in front of a loud home crowd.

“The feeling [at Davis Cup] is totally different. Maybe I get more nervous but, this adrenaline... gives me an extra motivation to play full. I feel the nerves but I can handle them and I think this motivation plays in my favour,” Martinez said.

Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta dominated Elmer Moller in the decisive match, winning 6-2, 6-3.

It was the first time Spain won a Davis Cup tie from 2-0 down.

Australia, however, failed to complete a comeback after losing their first two matches the previous day, with Belgium’s Raphael Collignon beating Aleksandar Vukic in the decisive fifth match to win the tie in Sydney.

US Open quarter-finalist Alex de Minaur, who had hoped for a “comeback story” despite Saturday’s losses, beat Zizou Bergs in straight sets to level the tie after Australia’s Jordan Thompson and Rinky Hijikata had won the tense doubles match 6-7(7/9), 6-3, 6-4 against Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen.

But Collignon, who fought through cramps to beat world number eight De Minaur on Saturday, shook off a first-set stumble against Vukic to win 6-7(5/7), 6-2, 6-3.

“It’s a dream, it was so tough to recover from yesterday,” said Collignon, who came into the tie on the back of a career-best win over world number 12 Casper Ruud at the US Open.

“I lost the first very tight set, so it was tough mentally, but I stayed there and I’m very proud of myself.”

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2025