MALAGA, Spain (AP) — In a stunning turnaround, Italy has claimed its second consecutive Davis Cup title, ending a 25-year drought in the tournament before this remarkable achievement. Central to this success is Jannik Sinner, who sealed the championship with an impressive performance.
On Sunday, the top-ranked Sinner triumphed over Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (2), 6-2, in the final match against the Netherlands, completing a 2-0 victory for Italy. “Winning again as defending champions is an incredible feeling for all of us,” Sinner expressed. “We are thrilled to lift the trophy and head into the preseason with renewed confidence.”
Italy took the lead early when Matteo Berrettini defeated Botic van de Zandschulp — the last player to defeat Rafael Nadal — with a decisive score of 6-4, 6-2 in the opening singles match, held on an indoor hard court at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena in southern Spain.
With a buzzing crowd of 9,200 fans, who showed their support by singing and drumming, Italy became the first team since the Czech Republic in 2012 and 2013 to win the Davis Cup twice in a row.
Italy’s women’s team also recently celebrated success, securing the Billie Jean King Cup against Slovakia. “Their accomplishments make us even prouder,” remarked Davis Cup captain Filippo Volandri.
After Sinner wrapped up his match, Berrettini and his teammates joyfully rushed the court, celebrating together as Volandri lifted Sinner into the air. Sinner’s role was pivotal throughout the tournament, finishing with a perfect 4-0 record in Malaga, which included a doubles victory alongside Berrettini against Argentina in the quarterfinals.
Berrettini played a crucial role in Italy’s triumph, stepped in to replace Lorenzo Musetti for singles. After suffering from injuries and health issues since his runner-up finish at Wimbledon in 2021, Berrettini voiced his struggle with the mental toll of his time away from the sport. “I didn’t miss the wins or losses; I missed moments like these,” he said during the celebration.
Though he took a bit to find his rhythm against the 80th-ranked van de Zandschulp, Berrettini dominated the final three games of the opening set. Meanwhile, Sinner left his spot behind Italy’s bench to prepare for his match, where he delivered an astounding 15 aces against the 40th-ranked Griekspoor. Following this victory, Sinner extended his streak to 14 consecutive matches without a loss and 26 straight sets, including his recent title at the ATP Finals.
Sinner’s rise in tennis is among the most remarkable stories of the year. He posted a record of 73-6 and claimed eight singles titles in 2024, including his first Grand Slam trophies at the Australian Open and the U.S. Open. Notably, this came shortly after he was cleared of wrongdoing in a doping case, related to two positive steroid tests in March, with an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency still pending.
This final marks the Netherlands’ first appearance in the Davis Cup final. Dutch captain Paul Haarhuis reflected on the match, stating, “We believed we could beat them.”
Until recently, Italy’s only previous Davis Cup victory dated back to 1976. Volandri inspired his players by encouraging them to aspire to “make history.” As the match progressed, Griekspoor, now 0-6 against Sinner, fought hard until the tiebreaker in the first set, where chants of “Italia! Italia!” clashed with “Let’s go, Tallon! Let’s go!” Ultimately, Sinner’s focus and experience shone through, allowing him to gain a significant lead and clinch the match with an ace.
Once he led 2-0 in the second set, Sinner didn’t drop another game, joining his teammates Berrettini, Volandri, Musetti, and others in celebrating with the silver trophy that once again belongs to them.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
