BARCELONA: Spain were on course to claim their second consecutive Davis Cup title after David Ferrer came back from two sets down to beat Radek Stepanek and leave the hosts 2-0 up here on Friday.

Earlier, world number two Rafael Nadal cruised past Tomas Berdych 7-5, 6-0, 6-2 in the opening singles match.

Ferrer, by contrast, did it the hard way.

Stepanek, ranked 12 in the world, comfortably claimed the first two sets, before the Spanish world number 18 clawed his way back to take the next three in a heroic performance that lasted four hours and 17 minutes.

Ferrer eventually came out the winner 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 8-6 in the third consecutive five-set meeting between the two.

"It was one of the most tense matches of my career," said the 27-year-old Ferrer.

The Czechs must now win Saturday's doubles in which Jan Hajek and Lukas Dlouhy face Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco. The reverse singles rubbers on Sunday pitch Nadal against Stepanek and Ferrer against Berdych.

After an awkward start to his match, world number two Nadal compensated for a tense exchange of service breaks in the first few games of the match by winning 13 straight games from 5-5 in the first set.

Berdych, ranked 20th in the world, faded badly and was powerless to stop the match deteriorating rapidly during the 2 hour 29 minute encounter.

"I was a bit nervous at the start," said Nadal. "I played shorter than I normally do on clay.

"The first set was the key, and afterwards everything changed. I found more depth... I made fewer mistakes and I think Tomas was more tired than me.

"Personally, I think he lost his way because I was playing better from the end of the first set. With the public behind me, I was confident and I started to play the tennis I normally play on clay."

Berdych lamented his missed chances in the first set.

"At 5-5 there was a very long game when I didn't serve well. There were only long exchanges," he said.

"But you have to congratulate Rafa. The way in which he played those last two sets was simply incredible.

"It's tough to lose 13 games on the trot. I tried to find some answers to come into the net a little more but nothing really worked."