loss in Rome against the same opponent who when Mantilla was eating a banana at the change of ends, had taken the banana out of his hands and started to eat it himself, at the end of the match Mantilla did not shake hands with Muster. He lost his semi final to Carlos Moyà. He defended his title in Bournemouth in clay, defeating Albert Costa. He also improves his achievements in hard courts and reached two finals: Dubai, losing to Àlex Corretja and Long Island losing to Patrick Rafter. He also reached the semifinals in Auckland. Mantilla won his only title for 1999 in Barcelona over Karim Alami, destroying his rivals at the first three rounds and defeating excellent clay players from quarterfinals: Carlos Moya, Francisco Clavet and Karim Alami. He defeated world number 1 Pete Sampras at Indian Wells on hardcourt and managed to repeat the feat defeating the then number 1 Lleyton Hewitt in 2002 on hardcourt as well. Apart from his title he reached the semis of the TMS events in Monte Carlo and Rome losing to Gustavo Kuerten and to Pat Rafter respectively. Mantilla said that "Rafter's backhand was so slow it was like his mother hitting the ball". Mantilla played his only Davis Cup match for Spain in a promotion and relegation tie against New Zealand in New Zealand for the 2000 Davis Cup. The big stars at the time Àlex Corretja, Albert Costa did not want to travel to Hamilton for the tie. Mantilla defeated Mark Nielsen in 5 sets (last sets with back injury and much pain) on a fast indoor hardcourt to help Spain gain promotion to the World Group along with Julián Alonso, Francisco Clavet and Joan Balcells. Mantilla experienced the first of his shoulder problems and underwent surgery in 2000 and was sidelined for six months and did not return to tennis until January 2001. He won two consecutive Challengers in Espinho over Tommy Robredo and Barletta defeating Markus Hipfl, this was followed up with a final in Estoril losing to nemesis Juan Carlos Ferrero as he did in all 8 of their matches. Later in the year he won Palermo defeating David Nalbandian after saving nine match points for the second time in his career in his semi final victory over Albert Portas, the first time was against Alberto Berasategui in the 1998 TMS Hamburg. Mantilla made two finals