DAVID Nalbandian raced to a straight-sets win over David Ferrer to hand Argentina a 1-0 lead over Spain in the Davis Cup final.
Nalbandian won 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in one hour 59 minutes to give the hosts the perfect start in their bid to win the competition for the first time.
"I played well from start to finish, I was always in control of the situation and the public was in
credible," said Nalbandian. "There were some moments of tension which I managed to keep under control. It was an almost perfect game."
Ferrer, who continued a poor recent run of form, said he could not get going in the match. "David was far superior and there's nothing more to say," he noted. "The court wasn't easy, but it's a tennis court like any other. I didn't have good sensations during the game, I wasn't up to it.
"It's never an easy match against David. I felt inferior to him today. I thought I would challenge him more than I did."
The Argentine was quick out of the blocks as he broke serve in the third game and then repeated the trick in the seventh when Ferrer double faulted on break point.
Ferrer, struggling on the fast indoor surface at the Polideportivo Malvinas arena, broke back in the next game but Nalbandian replied immediately to wrap up the first set in 53 minutes.
The Spaniard struggled to find an answer to Nalbandian's flowing tennis as he dropped his serve again in the fourth game of the next set having led 40-0.
Ferrer broke back in the next game but it was only a minor hitch for the hosts as Nalbandian broke twice more to finish the set in 38 minutes.
In the final set, Nalbandian broke in the sixth game before producing two aces to earn three match points. He finished things off with another powerful serve which Ferrer could not return.
Boosted by a boisterous crowd of about 10,000 fans at the Islas Malvinas Stadium in the coastal city of Mar del Plata, the 11th-ranked Nalbandian dominated throughout, and clinched the match by winning four of the last five games.
Playing in their first final at home, Argentina are seeking their first title after two runner-up finishes in 1981 and 2006. Spain, without top-ranked Rafael Nadal because of injury, are looking to win their third title.
"I played a great match," Nalbandian admitted. "I couldn't have played it any better. It was good to win it fast. I was always ahead, and that gave me tranquility."
He added: "It was a good first step for the weekend. This 1-0 will help (Del Potro] play with less pressure."
Juan Martin del Potro, Argentina's highest-ranked player, was set to face Feliciano Lopez in the second singles match later last night.
