Nadal fires Spain into Davis Cup final

Rafael Nadal led Spain to the Davis Cup final as he and Feliciano Lopez won a thrilling late-night doubles to seal a nail-biting 2-1 victory over Britain Saturday.

Kyle Edmund gave Britain the lead with an emphatic win over the 38-year-old Lopez before Nadal levelled things up with an equally dominant display against Dan Evans.

For the second time in the day a semi-final came down to the doubles rubber and it was the Spanish left-handers who clawed out a 7-6 (3) 7-6 (8) victory in a match of unremitting tension.

Britain had four set points to take the match into a decider but world No 1 Nadal, playing like a man possessed, raised his game and dragged his country home.

When Lopez's first serve completed the job an explosion of noise threatened to take the roof off the Caja Magica.

In their first Davis Cup final since 2012, Spain will face Canada who also won a cliffhanger earlier in the day against Russia.

Canada will be appearing in their first final.