As in the semi-final against Australia, the Italian team won its two singles matches to defeat the Dutch, defeaters of Spain by Carlos Alcaraz (3rd) and Rafael Nadal in the quarters and in search of a first title in the competition.
Matteo Berrettini (35th) swept Botic van de Zandschulp (80th) 6-4, 6-2 in just over an hour and a quarter before Jannik Sinner was disgusted 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 Tallon Griekspoor (40th), valiant but powerless against the transalpine ogre.
Filippo Volandri’s players thus became the first to retain their Davis Cup title since the Czech Republic, winners in 2012 and 2013.
The 2023 and 2024 titles are “difficult to compare”, judged Jannik Sinner at a press conference.
“Last year, we made it to the decisive doubles in the semi-finals. It’s clear that not having to play a deciding double or staying two hours longer makes a big difference,” said the world No.1.
Italy is the sixth nation to win two silver bowls in a row after the United States, Sweden, Germany, Spain and the Czech Republic.
The victory is all the more beautiful for the now triple champions (1976, 2023, 2024) as the Italian players had already triumphed on Wednesday against Slovakia in the final of the BJK Cup, the national team competition which succeeded the Fed Cup .
Only four countries had already achieved such a performance: the United States on seven occasions (1963, 1969, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1990), Australia on three occasions (1964, 1965, 1973), the Czech Republic in 2012 and Russia in 2021.
“Twice champions, for girls then for boys. It’s incredible!” exclaimed Italian captain Filippo Volandri shortly after the victory.
“Take nothing for granted”
On an individual level, the transalpine victory concludes an almost perfect season for Jannik Sinner, winner of the Australian Open, the US Open and the ATP Masters in Turin, his first trophy won at home.
“I have accomplished great things this year,” but “I try not to take anything for granted,” assured the world No.1.
Above the red curls of the young 23-year-old champion hangs the threat of a suspension of one to two years, demanded by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) after two positive tests of Sinner for clostebol (an anabolic) in March.
The Italian, who is awaiting a decision in this case from the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the coming weeks, pleads his innocence and believes he was accidentally contaminated by his medical staff.
“It’s running through my head a little”, but “I’m not concerned”, assured the Italian on Sunday after the final.
“The most important thing is that everyone around me, who knows me as a human being, believes me,” which is the case according to Sinner.
“This is also why I continued to play at my level,” concluded the Italian, who has only conceded one defeat since the revelation of his positive tests, against world No.3 Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the ATP 500 in Beijing.
And he hasn’t lost a single set since October 6, even if Tallon Griekspoor didn’t come far from winning the first set on Sunday.
The Dutch could have consoled themselves for their defeat with the satisfaction of having reached the first final in their history, 23 years after a semi-final lost against France which was their best performance until then.
But the Netherlands could have “returned home on Friday (the day they qualified for the final, Editor’s note) with the same result,” railed Batavian captain Paul Haarhuis, before qualifying his remarks.
“We’re just after the match. Later this evening or tomorrow, I will be very proud of what we have done,” he said at a press conference.
Par Le360 (with AFP)
11/24/2024 at 11:16 p.m.
