“There are no two without three”: The positive streak that David Ferrer has against Germany

The Spanish tennis team will face Alexander Zverev’s Germany this Saturday for a place in the grand final of the Davis Cup 2025, a rival that David Ferrer He knows perfectly and knows what it means to beat him.

The current captain faced Germany twice. The first, in the quarterfinals of 2008, the year in which he won the first ‘Salad bowl’ of the three that he keeps in his record. They did it on German territory (Bremen), in a tie that ended 4-1. Ferrer took charge of the second game. In the first, Rafa Nadal beat Nicolas Kiefer. Ferru He faced Philipp Kohlschreiber, whom he won in four sets to set a tie in which he only lost. Feliciano López, in the fifth game, also against Kiefer.

He had to wait until 2018 to see said rival again. Already on that team was a young Zverev, then 20 years old (whom he would later coach for a brief period in which the German distanced himself from his father). It was in the Valencia Bullring in the first match of the quarterfinals of that edition. And Ferrer lost in what was the first clash of the series. He reached the last duel 2-2 and, there, Ferrer took charge of the decisive point. Again with Philipp Kohlschreiber, whom he had already dropped in 2008, 10 years ago, and he did it again. He paid off his debt after the defeat against Zverev and collapsed on the brick dust with happiness.

In short, the Spanish captain eliminated Germany both times in which he faced the Germans, who have a favorable head-to-head against the ‘Navy’. His are 10 victories in 17 training sessions. In singles, Spain wins 34 to 33; while in doubles Germany dominates with 5-12. Whenever Ferrer was on the field, Spain won. And this time, although in a different way, sitting in the chair, he will once again be “in front” of his people. In search of the first final in 6 years.

After beating his Czech counterpart, Tomas Berdych, with whom he had an even record in his professional career (8-8), Ferrer now unlocks the complicated challenge presented by the number 3 in the world ranking and company. Aren’t there two without three?