By Alberto Amalfi | Thursday, November 23, 2023

Jannik Sinner served successful double duty to lift Italy into the Davis Cup semifinals.

World No. 4 Sinner stopped Tallon Griekspoor 7-6(3), 6-1 to level Italy with The Netherlands.

Watch: Andrea Bocelli Moves Federer to Tears

After a brief break, Sinner partnered Lorenzo Sonego defeating Dutchmen Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof 6-3, 6-4 clinching Italy’s semifinal spot with a 2-1 comeback win over The Netherlands in Malaga, Spain today.



Continuing its quest for its first Davis Cup championship since 1976, Italy now stands one win from a return to the Davis Cup final for the first time since 1998.

"I think the most important thing was today the attitude, and I think we match each other really well with attitude," Sinner said. "We both have great energy, and on the court we are not complaining about nothing and then trying to stay in the present moment, which today helped.

"It was a tough situation, not only for us but also for them. We knew that they were also under pressure. But I think generally we made a good job. We took a lot of energy from our team, which is our fundamental.

"I think it was a great match to start, no? Because it could have been finished already today. We are all happy to be here, for sure, one more day and then we see what's coming."

Italy will play either a Serbian squad led by world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who swept Sinner last Sunday to capture his seventh ATP Finals championship in Turin, or a British team spearheaded by Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper.

First-time semifinalist Finland faces 2022 finalist Australia in the top-half semifinal tomorrow.

In a dramatic duel to open today’s tie, Botic Van de Zandschulp fought off three match points edging Italian Matteo Arnaldi 6-7(6), 6-3, 7-6(7) in a two hour, 52-minute thriller.



Van de Zandschulp pumped 14 aces and saved three of four break points he faced.

In the decisive tiebreaker, Van de Zandschulp showed steely nerve saving the first match point with an aggressive high backhand volley winner. On Arnaldi’s second match point, the pair played a long rally then ended when the Italian shoveled a forehand drop shot attempt wide.

Van de Zandschulp denied a third match point with a strong serve down the T that elicited a netted return. The Dutchman completed the turnaround to stake the Orange side to a 1-0 lead.

“I think the whole match, it's a mental game because you know they have Sinner as the first player,” Van de Zandschulp said. “Yeah, before the tie, you know, this is the singles you want to win. So, yeah, that's also bringing a different kind of fight and pressure.

“I think we both felt it during the first set. Yeah, I start to play better from the second set on to the third. Yeah, was a break up. He started to play better tennis when I was leading. Yeah, was lucky. Lucky I got the win in the end, I think.”

Playing his first match since he was swept by Djokovic 6-3, 6-3 in last Sunday’s ATP Finals, Sinner delivered a serving clinic under pressure to level the tie.

Sinner won 29 of 32 first-serve points, smacked nine aces against one double fault, dropped just six points on serve did not face a single break point in a 73-minute conquest of Griekspoor to force the decisive doubles.



Italian captain Filippo Volandri opted for the Sinner-Sonego tandem in doubles and that move paid immediate dividends as the pair jumped out to a one-set lead.

"It's nice that the last event of the year is a team event," Sinner said. "They can give you good energy. I think we are doing all the right things. We are a big family, and today we showed it, no? Everyone is giving 100%. That's the least thing players can do, especially when they play for the country."

The pace of the Italians’ drives helped crack the crucial break in the second set.

Sonego angled a return Griekspoor could not handle at net as the Italians broke Koolhof for a 4-3 second-set lead.

Pressure spiked as Sinner failed to play a routine high forehand volley giving the Dutchmen 30-all on Sonego’s serve. Unfazed, Sonego hit a big body serve then closed out the game consolidating for 5-3.

When Griekspoor failed to return a Sinner serve the Italians had double match point as the Dutchman slammed his racquet to the court.

Sinner sent a stinging serve into the body sealing a 6-3, 6-4 win to send Italy into the final four.