Italy defends its Davis Cup crown | ATP Tour

Davis Cup

Italy defends its Davis Cup crown

Sinner and Berrettini lead their country to win the third Salad Cup in its history

November 24, 2024

More than a decade later, a Davis Cup champion manages to defend his crown.

In this edition, Italy reissued the title it won last year in this competition (2023-24), led by Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini, something that no one has achieved since the Czech Republic did it in 2012-13.

And he did it with the help of Jannik Sinner, and Matteo Berrettini, those in charge of giving the six points throughout the week at the Martín Carpena Pavilion in Malaga to Italy against Argentina (quarterfinals, 2-1), Australia (semifinal, 2-0) and Netherlands (final, 2-0).

Teams that have defended their crown in the Davis Cup

Italia: 2023-24

Czech Republic: 2012-13

Spain: 2008-09

Germany: 1988-89

Sweden: 1984-85, 1997-98

United States: 1978-79, 1981-82

The No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings capped a dream season in which he has won eight ATP Tour titles, including the Australian Open, the US Open, the Nitto ATP Finals, the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami, Cincinnati and Shanghai, as well as of the Davis Cup.

The Italian sealed his 73rd victory of the year in 79 matches – his highest number of matches won in a single season – after beating Tallon Griekspoor 7-6(2), 6-2, in one hour and 31 minutes, in the second match of the series against the Netherlands, whom they had also defeated in the Group Stage of the Davis Cup in September.

All the variables were blowing in Sinner’s favor. Not only because he was the best player of the moment, Martín Carpena of Málaga was closer to looking like a Roman coliseum than a pavilion in Spain, and, as if that were not enough, the Italian had dominated his rival in the five previous matches. which collected the Lexus ATP Head2Head.

This time, as in the two previous events in Miami and Halle, the Dutchman proposed a very tough start to the match. From the third game he put pressure on the Italian, who at 1-1, 15/40 had to save his first break options against him. They were the only ones in the initial set, which reached the tiebreaker, where Sinner decided on his side 7-2.

With nothing to lose, Griekspoor took a bigger risk in his game. He went all out, combining deep shots with inspired hits on the net and a series of breaks followed—three in total—until Sinner showed why he is the best player in the world to stop the bleeding (4-2).

The victory, which closed 6-2 in the second set, came after Berrettini established himself as Sinner’s faithful squire, assuming the stripes as No. 2 of his team to secure the first point of the series, for the second round. consecutive.

The No. 35 in the PIF ATP Rankings started this final, winning 6-4, 6-2, in one hour and 16 minutes against Botic van de Zandschulp.

“Personally, after all, I am very proud of myself, of the work I have done, in the hard moments I worked hard, it was not easy,” acknowledged Berrettini, who is little by little returning to his best level after injuries. “There were moments where I thought that tennis was over, that my body was not responding. I felt weak. And I want to thank the people who helped me and I trusted them, they told me that I was not weak.”

Berrettini, who has a 9-2 record in this singles competition, was quick to show his fang. Hardly struggling with his serve, he waited until the ninth game, raising his level of aggressiveness from the baseline, searching for the net and starting a blank break, which allowed him to serve to win the first set 6-4.

In the third game of the second set, the Italian raised the level again, surprising van de Zandschulp who seemed to have the situation under control at 1-1, 40/0. However, he saw how his rival not only forced the deuce but also caused two new break opportunities, which he ended up converting thanks to a double fault from the Dutchman.

With 16 aces and 86% of points won with first serves, he sealed the advantage until the end of the match to make it 1-0 against the Netherlands, which was playing in the Davis Cup final for the first time in the competition’s 104-year history. .

Did you know that…?

Italy, which has won the Salad Bowl in 1976, 2023 and 2024, became the fifth country to win the Billie Jean King Cup and the Davis Cup in the same season.