Defending Davis Cup champion Italy continue to be a thorn in the side of Australia. The Italians took out Australia in last year’s final to win the event for the first time since 1976, and on Saturday in Malaga they ousted Lleyton Hewitt’s squad again to move within one victory of becoming the first team to win back-to-back Davis Cup titles since Czechia in 2013.
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Matteo Berrettini put Italy on the board with a dramatic 6-7(6), 6-3, 7-5 victory over Thanasi Kokkinakis, and World No.1 Jannik Sinner completed the sweep with his ninth consecutive victory over top Aussie Alex de Minaur, 6-3, 6-4.
Sinner improves to 11-1 lifetime in Davis Cup singles, and 9-0 against De Minaur. The 23-year-old has won 13 matches on the trot dating back to the start of his run to the Shanghai title in October. After that he ran the table at the ATP Finals, becoming the first player to win the title without dropping a set since Ivan Lendl in 1986.
He continued his surge on Saturday.
Sinner remained perfect against De Minaur, dominating proceedings after an early trade of breaks in the first set. The Italian has won all nine encounters with the Aussie, and he broke open both sets to win easily.
“It means a lot,” Sinner said, after notching his 18th Top 10 win of 2024. “I was looking forward to this one, and obviously it helped a lot that Matteo won the singles today.”
“It’s an honor and pleasure to have Jannik here with us,” added Italy's Captain Filippo Volandri. “I have to congratulate the Australian team, they played two really good matches. Also Kokkinakis played unbelievable – the level was unbelievably high.”
Berrettini Battles Through
It was Berrettini’s inspiring victory that played the pivotal role on Saturday. The 28-year-old former Wimbledon finalist made his presence felt in the doubles on Friday as he paired with Sinner to eliminate Argentina in the quarterfinals, and he was in-form again after getting the nod to play singles by Italian captain Filippo Volandri.
Still, Kokkinakis, who defeated Ben Shelton in singles to help propel Australia past Team USA in the quarterfinals, made him work for it.
Kokkinakis saved a pair of set points to take the opening set, but Berrettini lifted his game in sets two and three to take the run of play from the Aussie. In the final set Berrettini connected on 89 percent of his first serves, winning 25 of 31 points behind it, and he eventually broke through in the 11th game with a critical break before serving out the victory in two hours and 39 minutes.
“I expected that, he’s such a talented player,” Berrettini said of the effort Kokkinakis put forth. “After I lost the first set it wasn’t easy to digest, but it didn’t matter, when I looked at my bench I saw the guys, they were even more pumped for me to win – I kept on fighting.”
Berrettini’s incredible forehand winner from the backcourt with Kokkinakis serving at 5-5, 15-0 might have been the spark that helped him get over the line.
“Sometimes points, they are changing the match momentum,” he said of his improbable crosscourt squash shot. “I guess it’s coming from years of playing on clay, we use our hands a lot, and maybe a bit of genetics from my parents. It’s all about the energy, how you face the tough moments. I had many chances in the third as well, I kept on fighting, I got the break, and I finished.”
Berretini improves to 8-2 lifetime in Davis Cup singles rubbers. He hopes to get the nod in Sunday’s final against the Netherlands.
“It feels like Italy,” he said of the venue in Malaga. “I love this atmosphere. I love playing Davis Cup.”