Fish kicks up Cup stink as Italy oust US
I have wanted to win for a long time. It’s not going to happen and it stinks. We’re going home without the trophy, which is a bummer.
US captain Mardy Fish
Italy beat the United States in a doubles decider yesterday to advance to the Davis Cup semifinals for the first time in eight years.
Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini defeated Tommy Paul and Jack Sock 6-4, 6-4 to secure a 2-1 win for Italy after the teams split the singles matches in Malaga, Spain.
Bolelli and Fognini broke once in each set to set up a semifinal this weekend against Canada, who beat Germany 2-1.
Earlier, Lorenzo Sonego used his big serve to defeat Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 7-6 (7) and give the Italians a 1-0 lead. Taylor Fritz pulled the US level after beating Lorenzo Musetti 7-6 (8), 6-3.
The US hold a record 32 Davis Cup trophies but their last came in 2007 under the previous format of best-offive matches played in host countries instead of the revamped event where the final eight teams gather in one spot for a week of tennis.
The American team led by captain Mardy Fish arrived in Spain with high hopes they could break that dry spell.
“I have wanted to win this thing for a very long time, as a player and captain,” Fish said. “It’s not going to happen this year and it stinks. We’re going home without the trophy, which is a bummer.”
Italy, whose only Davis Cup title came in 1976, won without their top two players, as Jannik Sinner has an injured finger and Matteo Berrettini is recovering from a foot problem.
No 19-ranked Tiafoe, who reached the US Open semifinals in September, won his only previous meeting with No 45-ranked Sonego at the Paris Masters three weeks ago.
This time, Sonego took the initiative, Tiafoe said.
“A couple of weeks ago, I was playing very aggressive, running him around, hitting much harder. [Yesterday], he was,” Tiafoe said.
Sonego saved two set points while serving at 6-5 in the second set to force the tiebreaker.
He said he drew on the loud Italian fans who showed up to support him in Spain, which is home to more than 250,000 Italians.
“I am really proud of my team and this unbelievable crowd, it looks like we’re in Italy. They support us from the beginning,” said Italy captain Filippo Volandri.
A day earlier, a Croatia team led by Marin Cilic advanced to the other semifinal after beating a Spain side that was missing Rafael Nadal and No 1-ranked Carlos Alcaraz.
Croatia will face Australia in the other semifinal today, with the final on Monday.