Cobolli wins epic tie-break to send Italy into final

by · BBC Sport
Italy can become the first country to win three straight Davis Cup titles for more than 50 yearsGetty Images

Flavio Cobolli said sealing Italy's place in the Davis Cup final was "one of the best days of my life" after he saved seven match points to win a dramatic 32-point tie-break against Belgium's Zizou Bergs.

Cobolli tore off his shirt in celebration as a party atmosphere erupted among the home support in Bologna once the 23-year-old took his seventh match point to prevail 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (17-15) after more than three hours.

Following the thrilling conclusion, which stands as the sixth-longest tie-break in the Davis Cup's 125-year history, two-time defending champions Italy will face Spain or Germany in Sunday's final.

Amid the pandemonium, Cobolli comforted Bergs as his distraught opponent sat on the Belgium team bench with his head in his hands.

Speaking in his on-court interview, world number 22 Cobolli said: "It's really tough to say something about this match.

"We played for our countries and fought a lot for this win. In the end, I realised my dream and we are now in the final.

"I played an amazing match against a great opponent. I played for all of [the supporters], for all of my team, my family, for me. It is one of the best days of my life."

Italy team captain Filippo Volandri said: "In my five years as captain I have never seen something like that.

"It was an unbelievable match. At the end I just said [it was] 5% tactics and 95% heart. This guy gave everything he had - I am really proud.

"We have an unbelievable bench, Matteo [Berrettini, Cobolli's team-mate] lost his voice.

"But it is not the last match. We celebrate tonight and then we focus on the final."

Berrettini once again gave Italy the perfect start as, backed by the majority of a passionate, sell-out crowd of 10,000 fans, he overpowered Raphael Collignon in straight sets.

With Cobolli's victory, Italy have become the first nation to reach three consecutive Davis Cup finals since Australia in 2001.

Despite the absence of their top two men's singles players - world number two Jannik Sinner and eighth-ranked Lorenzo Musetti - Italy will now seek to become the first nation to win three consecutive Davis Cup titles for 53 years.

It would be the longest spell of dominance in the competition since the United States won their fourth title in a row in 1972.

Cobolli & Berrettini continue to star for Sinner-less Italy

Sinner, a key member of the Italian team which triumphed at the past two editions of the Davis Cup, elected to maximise his recovery at the beginning of the sport's brief six-week off-season after triumphing at last week's ATP Finals.

The presence of just one of the top 10 men's players at this year's event has prompted discussion over the tournament's future format.

But, after Berrettini and Cobolli delivered for Italy in their quarter-final against Austria, both players spoke about the privilege they felt in competing for the host nation at the Finals.

That passion was again evidence as both players once again fed off the energy provided by their home crowd to secure back-to-back 2-0 victories this week.

Already a cauldron of noise following Berrettini's win, Bologna's SuperTennis Arena reached fever pitch as Cobolli reached his match points on Bergs' serve - but the Belgian twice hung on with clutch serving to level at five games apiece.

The increasingly animated Cobolli had already displayed nerves of steel in shutting down four break points in the deciding set to reach that moment, and the stage was set for a grand finale - although few could have foreseen the drama to come.

It was next Cobolli's turn to withstand a series of match points in an enthralling conclusion - escaping four of them in the space of just six points.

From there, the players continued to exchange opportunities and maintained their high quality - despite the stakes and excitable crowd - as the score continued to rise.

But Bergs was first to blink, hitting wide to present Cobolli with his seventh match point, which he seized by hammering over a first serve to ignite the celebrations.

Both Flavio Cobolli and Zizou Bergs had seven match pointsGetty Images

By that point voiceless from supporting his team-mate, Berrettini had once again set the standard by defeating Collignon 6-3 6-4 in 90 minutes.

The former Wimbledon runner-up, ranked 56th in the world, served his way to the opening set following an early break and then broke immediately in set two after Collignon double-faulted twice.

However, his charge to the finish was slowed when Collignon took his first opportunity to level at 2-2 - and the Belgian was denied another break for a 4-2 lead when Berrettini landed a sensational cross-court forehand to shut down.

But Berrettini refused to lose his grip on the contest, reasserting himself with another break before serving out his eighth straight win in the competition.

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