Spain Tackles Germany, Will face Italy for Davis Cup Crown

No Sinner. No Alcaraz. No problem. 

Spain and Italy – sans a few iconic players – will meet for the Davis Cup title on Sunday in Bologna, as Spain knocked off Germany 2-1 on Saturday to claim its place in the final. 

Marcel Granollers stepped to the line, serving for the match at 5-3, 30-40 in the final set of Saturday’s deciding doubles rubber, and fired back-to-back aces to bring Spain to match point. 

Granollers’ partner, Pedro Martinez, fired a smash into the open court on the next point to clinch the pair’s deciding doubles victory over Germany’s Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz (6-2, 3-6, 6-3) to send Spain to the Davis Cup final for the first time since they won their sixth Davis Cup title in 2019, and the eleventh time overall.

“We had two super difficult ties,” said Granollers. “We’re super happy to be in the final.”

“I really feel all the emotions here,” added Martinez. “I’m trying to put my best level out there.”

Earlier in the day, Alexander Zverev earned a tie-extending victory for Germany with a 7-6(2) 7-6(5) win over Jaume Munar after Pablo Carreno Busta had taken out Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4 7-6(6) to give Spain the lead.

In the doubles, Spain took charge of a tight contest with a brilliant deciding set and improved to 8-10 lifetime against Germany in the nation’s first meeting at Davis Cup since 2018. 

“I’m really proud, of course, because it has been an amazing week. I believed that they could do it,” said Spanish captain David Ferrer.

Granollers and Martinez saved 14 of 15 break points in the triumph for Ferrer’s team. The pair defeated Machac and Mensik in the deciding doubles of Spain’s 2-1 victory against Czechia in the quarterfinals on Thursday, 7-6(8), 7-6(8). 

Sunday’s final against Italy will be missing the two biggest names in men’s tennis – Alcaraz and Sinner, who were unable to play – but will not be short on drama as Italy aims to demonstrate its depth as it seeks the first Davis Cup three-peat in the post-challenge round era (after 1972).