Earlier this year, in September, Nando was honored with the Premios Siete Estrellas del Deporte award for Best Male Athlete, an award given to outstanding athletes from Madrid. He recieved the award both for his performance in last year’s Davis Cup semifinal against Germany and in the final against Argentina, as well as his exceptional results the first half of this year including his spectacular run to the semifinals at the Australian Open and reaching the quarterfinals of the first five Masters events of the year (Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Rome and Madrid) and his breakthrough into the ATP’s top ten for the first time in February.

He was presented with his award this weekend in Madrid, and during the ceremony, a clip was shown of him winning the match point in the fourth rubber against José Acasuso that clinched the victory for Spain and gave the country their third Davis Cup title. Fernando said still gets goosebumps watching it and considers the victory to be “like a small Grand Slam, a prize I’ve always wanted and one I happy I have achieved and accomplished.”