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Tennis

Spain Will Defend Title in Second Straight Davis Cup Finals

TORRE PACHECO, Spain (AP) -- Defending champion Spain advanced to the Davis Cup finals by defeating Israel 3-0 on Saturday.

Feliciano Lopez and Tommy Robredo beat Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram 7-6 (6), 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-2. Spain won all three of its opening matches to secure a place in its seventh final overall.

Spain will play the Czech Republic in the December final.

"To be in the finals two years running is incredible," Robredo said.

With injured Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco cheering them on, Lopez and Robredo won in front of a large crowd at the Torre Pacheco tennis club.

Israel reached the semifinals in March after an emotional victory over Sweden, when Malmo officials didn't allow spectators against a backdrop of anti-Israel protests.

The Czechs beat Croatia 3-0 in the other semifinal on Saturday.

Last year, Spain defeated Argentina to win the Davis Cup title.
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Greg Couch

Greg CouchGreg Couch is a national columnist and award-winning tennis writer for FanHouse.com. A former ranked amateur tennis player, who dabbled in a few pro tournaments, he came to FanHouse after 12 years at the Chicago Sun-Times. "The best tennis writer in America," according to Jason Whitlock, national columnist and guest host of the Jim Rome radio show.