<p>Rafael Nadal inspired Spain into their first Davis Cup final since 2012 as he teamed up with Feliciano Lopez to secure a dramatic last-four victory over Britain in Madrid.</p>.<p>The hosts trailed 1-0 after Lopez's singles defeat by Kyle Edmund on Saturday, but Nadal thrashed Dan Evans before partnering Lopez in a 7-6 (7/3) 7-6 (10/8) win in the deciding doubles over Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski.</p>.<p>Spain will face Canada in Sunday's final after the North Americans won their semi-final against Russia, which was also decided in the doubles rubber.</p>.<p>"It was a very special moment for us, a very unique opportunity," said the 38-year-old Lopez.</p>.<p>"We have a great opportunity to win this tournament here at home." Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil sent Canada into their maiden Davis Cup showpiece by edging out Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev.</p>.<p>Five-time champions Spain were indebted to world number one Nadal for a virtuoso display as the 33-year-old continues his hunt for a fifth Davis Cup crown, having first lifted the title himself in 2004.</p>.<p>"This competition is always dramatic, especially with the new format," said Nadal.</p>.<p>"It's really, really special. Thank you to Feli (Lopez) and to the crowd who were amazing as well." Spain lost their last Davis Cup final to the Czech Republic six years ago.</p>.<p>Edmund had earlier justified the decision of British captain Leon Smith to select him ahead of three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray by seeing off Lopez 6-3 7-6 (7/3).</p>.<p>But Nadal swatted aside Evans 6-4 6-0 to set up the doubles showdown.</p>.<p>Murray and Skupski more than held their own in the face of a partisan home crowd and a pumped-up Nadal at the Caja Magica, but saw a break point come and go in the 11th game of the first set before losing a tie-break.</p>.<p>The Britons saw four set points pass them by in the second set, including three in the breaker, with Nadal saving one by producing an incredible lob on the stretch.</p>.<p>A place in the final was sealed on a second match point.</p>.<p>"Rafa (Nadal) plays like this from the first round in every tournament. It's one of his powers," said Spain captain Sergi Bruguera.</p>.<p><strong>Canada make history</strong></p>.<p>Earlier on Saturday, the 20-year-old Shapovalov had drawn Canada level by beating Khachanov after Rublev's win over Pospisil in the opening match.</p>.<p>The Canadian pair then edged out Khachanov and Rublev in a thrilling deciding-set tie-break.</p>.<p>"I thought both teams played phenomenal," Canada captain Frank Dancevic said.</p>.<p>"The Russians threw everything they had at us, it was just a matter of who came up with the better shots. There was no room for error today -- they went for their shots, went big in the big moments, and here we are into the final."</p>.<p>It was their third Davis Cup semi-final, after previous last-four defeats in 1913 and 2013.</p>.<p>"We've got a huge day, a historic day for us tomorrow, and we're going to leave it all out there," said world number 150 Pospisil.</p>.<p>Canada secured a 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7/5) victory on their second match point to finish a tie which lasted six and a half hours.</p>.<p>Earlier, Shapovalov had seen off Khachanov, Russia's leading player in the absence of world number four Daniil Medvedev due to exhaustion, in a dramatic match.</p>.<p>The left-handed rising star, who reached his maiden Masters final in Paris earlier this month, saved three successive break points while serving for the match.</p>.<p>The in-form Rublev had made it four singles wins from as many matches this week by brushing aside Pospisil 6-4 6-4.</p>.<p>Canada have reached the final despite being without the injured Felix Auger-Aliassime, the world number 22, with Pospisil stepping up instead.</p>.<p>"I'm at a loss for words," Shapovalov said.</p>.<p>"It's incredible how far we've come this week, with me and Vasek playing on a different level.</p>.<p>"It's unbelievable to see. And to clinch it like this, in the doubles, I wouldn't have it any other way."</p>
<p>Rafael Nadal inspired Spain into their first Davis Cup final since 2012 as he teamed up with Feliciano Lopez to secure a dramatic last-four victory over Britain in Madrid.</p>.<p>The hosts trailed 1-0 after Lopez's singles defeat by Kyle Edmund on Saturday, but Nadal thrashed Dan Evans before partnering Lopez in a 7-6 (7/3) 7-6 (10/8) win in the deciding doubles over Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski.</p>.<p>Spain will face Canada in Sunday's final after the North Americans won their semi-final against Russia, which was also decided in the doubles rubber.</p>.<p>"It was a very special moment for us, a very unique opportunity," said the 38-year-old Lopez.</p>.<p>"We have a great opportunity to win this tournament here at home." Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil sent Canada into their maiden Davis Cup showpiece by edging out Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev.</p>.<p>Five-time champions Spain were indebted to world number one Nadal for a virtuoso display as the 33-year-old continues his hunt for a fifth Davis Cup crown, having first lifted the title himself in 2004.</p>.<p>"This competition is always dramatic, especially with the new format," said Nadal.</p>.<p>"It's really, really special. Thank you to Feli (Lopez) and to the crowd who were amazing as well." Spain lost their last Davis Cup final to the Czech Republic six years ago.</p>.<p>Edmund had earlier justified the decision of British captain Leon Smith to select him ahead of three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray by seeing off Lopez 6-3 7-6 (7/3).</p>.<p>But Nadal swatted aside Evans 6-4 6-0 to set up the doubles showdown.</p>.<p>Murray and Skupski more than held their own in the face of a partisan home crowd and a pumped-up Nadal at the Caja Magica, but saw a break point come and go in the 11th game of the first set before losing a tie-break.</p>.<p>The Britons saw four set points pass them by in the second set, including three in the breaker, with Nadal saving one by producing an incredible lob on the stretch.</p>.<p>A place in the final was sealed on a second match point.</p>.<p>"Rafa (Nadal) plays like this from the first round in every tournament. It's one of his powers," said Spain captain Sergi Bruguera.</p>.<p><strong>Canada make history</strong></p>.<p>Earlier on Saturday, the 20-year-old Shapovalov had drawn Canada level by beating Khachanov after Rublev's win over Pospisil in the opening match.</p>.<p>The Canadian pair then edged out Khachanov and Rublev in a thrilling deciding-set tie-break.</p>.<p>"I thought both teams played phenomenal," Canada captain Frank Dancevic said.</p>.<p>"The Russians threw everything they had at us, it was just a matter of who came up with the better shots. There was no room for error today -- they went for their shots, went big in the big moments, and here we are into the final."</p>.<p>It was their third Davis Cup semi-final, after previous last-four defeats in 1913 and 2013.</p>.<p>"We've got a huge day, a historic day for us tomorrow, and we're going to leave it all out there," said world number 150 Pospisil.</p>.<p>Canada secured a 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7/5) victory on their second match point to finish a tie which lasted six and a half hours.</p>.<p>Earlier, Shapovalov had seen off Khachanov, Russia's leading player in the absence of world number four Daniil Medvedev due to exhaustion, in a dramatic match.</p>.<p>The left-handed rising star, who reached his maiden Masters final in Paris earlier this month, saved three successive break points while serving for the match.</p>.<p>The in-form Rublev had made it four singles wins from as many matches this week by brushing aside Pospisil 6-4 6-4.</p>.<p>Canada have reached the final despite being without the injured Felix Auger-Aliassime, the world number 22, with Pospisil stepping up instead.</p>.<p>"I'm at a loss for words," Shapovalov said.</p>.<p>"It's incredible how far we've come this week, with me and Vasek playing on a different level.</p>.<p>"It's unbelievable to see. And to clinch it like this, in the doubles, I wouldn't have it any other way."</p>