Matteo Berrettini adelte Jannik Sinner. © APA/afp / THOMAS COEX
Italy can continue to dream of defending their title at the Davis Cup in Malaga – thanks to Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini. After the doubles match, the Roman was honored to be able to play alongside the best tennis player in the world at the moment.
22. November 2024
From: leo
Jannik Sinner delivered on Thursday – once again. For the third time in the last four Davis Cup games, the South Tyrolean converted a 0-1 deficit into a 2-1 win. He made short work of Sebastian Baez in the singles, while in the doubles he was able to rely on a very strong Berrettini. “Matteo played incredibly today,” said the 23-year-old after the game and spoke about the excellent relationship with the 28-year-old. “We get along really well off the pitch too. Playing alongside him is nice.”
Fighting for victory in a team is easier than facing each other individually. “Today’s feeling was completely different to the one we both had at Wimbledon,” emphasized Sinner. The South Tyrolean defeated the Roman in four sets on Church Road this year. “Before the game we said how nice it was to have this shared experience in the Davis Cup. Playing alongside the world number one means a bit of pressure, but I’m over the moon with how it went,” said Berrettini with a smile on his lips.
There are still two hurdles missing
The fact that Sinner and Berrettini even competed in the decisive doubles came as a surprise to many, especially since Italy has a strong duo with Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli. “It was difficult to make this decision because they had an incredible season,” Sinner said. “I think that we have found the best solution for today.” Captain Filippo Volandri explained that the Sesto native and Berrettini had carried out the first tests on Wednesday. “After Jannik’s win, I spoke to all the players and we agreed that it was the best decision,” said the 43-year-old.
Good friends: Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini © APA/afp / JORGE GUERRERO
Despite all the euphoria, the Azzurri are aware that the goal, i.e. defending their title, is still a long way away. “We face Australia like last year, but the situation is completely different. What is certain is that we will give 100 percent,” said Sinner. “Anything is possible when the conditions are so fast – we’ve seen that in the last few days,” said Volandri, commenting on the surprises. The semi-finals are on Saturday at 1 p.m.
