Defending champions Italy advanced to the Davis Cup final eight on Saturday without having to compete, thanks to Argentina's impressive 3-0 victory over Finland. Italy now joins Spain, Australia, the United States, and Germany, who had already secured their spots in the finals set to take place in Malaga, Spain, from November 19-24. The final two spots will be determined on Sunday, with Britain needing a 3-0 win against Canada in Manchester to secure the Group D berth. Meanwhile, the outcome in Group A hinges on the match between the Netherlands and Italy.
In Bologna, Italy's advancement was sealed by Brazil's 2-1 win over Belgium. Brazil's Thiago Monteiro and Joao Fonseca delivered key victories, while Belgium managed to keep their hopes alive with a doubles win. Brazil’s success ensured Italy’s qualification, despite Belgium's attempts to stay in contention. The result of the Group A clash will now decide the final qualifiers from that group.
Argentina made a strong comeback in Group D after their earlier loss to Canada, decisively defeating Finland. Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Francisco Cerundolo won their singles matches, and Maximo Gonzalez along with Andres Molteni secured the doubles rubber to seal Argentina's place in the finals. This marks Argentina's return to the final eight for the first time since 2019, a significant achievement for the team.
In other matches, the United States clinched top spot in Group C with a 2-1 win over Germany, thanks to Reilly Opelka and Brandon Nakashima's performances. In World Group I, Novak Djokovic led Serbia to a 2-0 lead over Greece with a dominant 6-0, 6-1 win. Djokovic, playing his first Davis Cup match since the US Open, expressed his appreciation for the event and reflected on the changes in the tournament format. Lastly, Norway's Casper Ruud secured a 3-1 win against Portugal in their World Group I tie.
ADD A COMMENT :