Jannik Sinner is still in ATP Finals form and brings Italy the two points they need to beat the Netherlands e reach the Davis Cup semi-finals. Dominant in the singles, well supported by Lorenzo Sonego in the doubles, the number 4 in the world confirms himself as the key factor of a strong and complete Italian team, which has everything to chase the dream of winning the tournament in Malaga, almost 50 years after the triumph in Chile for Adriano Panatta and his companions. The quarter-final match against the Dutch ends with a score of 2-1: Matteo Arnaldi’s narrow defeat in the first singles against Botic van de Zandschulp is rebalanced by Sinner’s success over Tallon Griekspoor and finally the South Tyrolean and the Piedmontese Sonego complete the work against Wesley Koolhof and Griekspoor, very respectable doubles players.
“We had a lot of pressure and we started with a bit of bad luck, with three match points in the first singles – comments Sinner hotly -. In my singles I didn’t feel good on the court at the beginning, but then everything went smoothly. The position of Volandri is not easy – he continues explaining the composition of the doubles, uncertain until the end – but today we chose the right team, we are complete and playing with a friend like Sonego helps. The key was the mentality, the approach and the attitude. When I needed energy he cheered me up and I did the same. We played an excellent double and I hope we will get more satisfaction.” “We hadn’t played together since the beginning of the year and we found the same sensations – declares Sonego -, but I also want to congratulate Arnaldi who still played a crazy match. Ours is a team victory”.
The Sanremo Arnaldi really comes close to 1-0, which could have given the decisive assist to Sinner, losing 7-6, 3-6, 6-7 with Botic Van de Zandschulp. The Dutchman concedes some break points in the first set, which ended in a tie break with Arnaldi doing well to save a set point to win 7-3. The second match sees the blue in more difficulty, forced to give up serve in the seventh game and suffer a draw from his opponent. He starts well and takes a 3-1 lead, but Arnaldi recovers and reaches the tie break again where, however, he wastes three match points before giving up after almost three hours of play. Captain Volandri, a little angry at a bloody short ball from his player, however, does not fail to praise him: “He gave 2000% against a favorite opponent on this surface, we played point to point and we cannot complain”.
Sinner against Griekspoor starts at a slow pace but with clarity and coolness takes the first set at the tie break (7-3) and then loosens up in the second, winning 6-3. The positive trend continues in doubles. Sonego erases the first break point in his first serve, then in the eighth game the Azzurri come back from 40-0 and break serve, taking the lead at 5-3. An advantage that Sinner immediately exploits at bat.
The South Tyrolean is calm and often smiles with his teammate, but also with his opponents when he is hit on the head by a volley. In the second set the Italian pair has more and more confidence and breaks in the seventh game, then flying from 4-3 to the decisive 6-3. “Now an hour of celebrations and then we think about the semi-final”, comments Volandri.
And Serbia will be Italy’s opponent in the Davis Cup semi-final scheduled for Saturday in Malaga. A new challenge is therefore expected between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic as at the last ATP Finals.
Serbia beat Great Britain 2-0 in the quarter-finals: the world number one’s victory against Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-4 was decisive. In the other match Miomir Kecmanovic won 7-6 7-6 over Jack Draper.
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2023-11-23 21:41:00
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