the double for Sinner and Italy, too strong for the Netherlands

Jannik Sinner and the Italians end 2024 in style. The Italian team beat the Netherlands 2-0 in the Davis Cup final in Malaga on Sunday, securing a second consecutive silver bowl four days after the women's team's victory in the BJK Cup (formerly Fed Cup).

Led by world No.1 Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini (35th), winners of the two singles in the final, the now triple champions (1976, 2023, 2024) are the first team to retain the trophy two years in a row since the Republic Czech, winner in 2012 and 2013. Matteo Berrettini (35th) swept aside Botic van de Zandschulp (80th) 6-4, 6-2 in a little over an hour and a quarter before Jannik Sinner disgusted 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 Tallon Griekspoor (40th), valiant but powerless against the ogre transalpine.

The Dutch No. 1 was not unworthy, obtaining break points in the first set and even managing to take Sinner's throw-in in the second set to get back to 2-2. But the world No.1 immediately broke Griekspoor to race to victory. Italy is the sixth nation to win two silver bowls in a row after the United States, Sweden, Germany, Spain and the Czech Republic.

Girls/boys double for Italy

The victory is all the more beautiful 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 7 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.

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.

The Italian has nevertheless been entangled since the end of the summer in a doping case, in which the World Anti-Doping Agency requires a one to two year suspension. Testing positive for clostebol (an anabolic) in March, Sinner claims to have been accidentally contaminated by his medical staff.