(Málaga) Italy scored the first point of its Davis Cup semi-final against Australia in Malaga on Saturday, with world No.1 Jannik Sinner now able to send his country to the final if they win the second match of the day .
Posted at 10:17 a.m.
Ranked 35eMatteo Berrettini beat Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 7-5 in the first singles of the semi-final, lasting 2 hours 43 minutes.
The second match of the day, scheduled in the wake of the first, pits Jannik Sinner against Alex De Minaur (9e), Australia's highest-ranked player, but who has never managed to beat the Italian in eight confrontations.
In the event of Sinner's defeat, a doubles will have to decide between the two teams.
PHOTO MANU FERNANDEZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jannik Sinner could send Italy to the final.
The winning selection will face the Netherlands in the final, who defeated Germany 2-0 on Friday in the first semi-final.
Italy is seeking a third Davis Cup title after those of 1976 and 2023. Australia has lifted the Silver Salad Bowl 28 times, a trophy reserved for the winners of the national team competition, but has been waiting since 2003 to win one 29e.
On Saturday, Kokkinakis and Berrettini, who had never faced each other, fought an extremely close duel.
After finally managing to take his opponent's serve (6-5, service to follow), the Italian seemed to be on the right track in the first set. But “Kokki” immediately broke and then pocketed the tiebreaker 8-6, not without saving three set points.
The break made by Berrettini at 4-3 in the second set was, however, decisive and allowed him to win 6-3.
The two players went blow for blow until 5-5 in the third set. The Australian cracked first, enough to allow Berrettini to race to victory (7-5).
