Italy’s Jannik Sinner returns the ball to Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor during the Davis Cup final tennis match between Netherlands and Italy at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall in Malaga, southern Spain, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP
Italy went nearly a quarter-century without winning the Davis Cup. Then along came Jannik Sinner, and now the country is celebrating its second consecutive title.
The No. 1-ranked Sinner clinched the championship in the annual team event and capped his breakthrough season by beating Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (2), 6-2 on Sunday for a 2-0 win over the Netherlands in the final of the Davis Cup.
“Coming back as defending champions and winning again — it’s one of the best feelings I think for all of us,” Sinner said. “We are very happy to lift this trophy and, of course, also to go into the preseason with a bunch of confidence boosts.”
Matteo Berrettini put Italy ahead with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Botic van de Zandschulp — the last man to beat Rafael Nadal — in the opening singles match on an indoor hard court at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena in southern Spain.
The Italians, backed by a loud contingent of singing fans playing drums and armed with megaphones in the crowd of 9,200, became the first team to win the Davis Cup twice in a row since the Czech Republic in 2012 and 2013.
Italy’s women won the Billie Jean King Cup by defeating Slovakia on Wednesday.
“They make us even more proud,” Davis Cup captain Filippo Volandri said.
After Sinner finished off his win, Berrettini and other teammates rushed onto the court to begin the party, wrapping their arms around one another and bouncing in unison. Volandri grabbed Sinner and lifted him off the ground.
It was clear who was key to this success. Sinner went 4-0 in Malaga, including a victory in doubles with Berrettini against Argentina in the quarterfinals.
Berrettini played a vital role, too, after replacing Lorenzo Musetti for singles. Berrettini was the runner-up at Wimbledon in 2021 but since then went through a series of injuries and illnesses that have limited his playing time. He has spoken about the mental challenges he faced.
“I didn’t miss the wins or the losses,” Berrettini said. “I missed these moments.”
He needed some time to find his groove against the 80th-ranked van de Zandschulp. But Berrettini took control by…