WhatsNew2Day – Latest News And Breaking Headlines
Italy won both singles matches to lift the trophy for the second time
Alexei Popyrin and Alex de Minaur both lost their matches
Italian Jannik Sinner continues his good form in the Davis Cup
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
Australian tennis dreams were dashed once again as Lleyton Hewitt’s side succumbed in a second consecutive Davis Cup final amid heartbreak and another reality check in Malaga.
Italy ended up lifting the giant trophy for only the second time in Sunday’s (Monday AEDT) clash with a 2-0 victory fashioned amid misery for Alexei Popyrin and dispiriting déjà vu for his Sydneysider teammate Alex de Minaur.
It was a similar story to last year’s campaign, where the team overperformed only to be edged out by Canada in the final and unable to earn a tie in their stronghold of the deciding doubles.
But this defeat was even more disappointing, as Popyrin had so many chances to win the first match before suffering an agonizing 7-5 2-6 6-4 defeat against Matteo Arnaldi whom he had managed for much of the last two sets.
Hewitt was depressed after the loss as his Australians were unable to force a tie in the doubles phase, which is their strong point.
Alexei Popyrin is consoled by Hewitt after losing 7-5 2-6 6-4 to Matteo Arnaldi despite having plenty of chances to win the clash
De Minaur was to face in the next match his young nemesis Jannik Sinner, who had beaten the Australian No. 1 five times – and as the tennis world has learned, there can only be one winner when a ” demon” meets a sinner.
The Italian, clearly the man of the week in the Malaga final after winning his five matches in three draws, including his two historic victories against the great Serbian Novak Djokovic in singles and doubles on Saturday, continued in making it six in a row against de Minaur, outclassing him 6-3 6-0.
It meant the end of Australia’s dream of winning their first Davis Cup in 20 years while captain Hewitt was still in fine form in Melbourne.
Popyrin, the team’s late replacement, who had replaced the injured Thanasi Kokkinakis, dominated the final two sets of his first match, only to squander opportunities and ultimately be outlasted by Arnaldi.
In the end, this closest battle between the Australian world number 40 and the Italian world number 44 came down to who could hold his composure best – and it was the youngster from San Remo who held the most firm in the two-hour and 27-minute battle, applauded supported by the passionate Italian support of Palacio de Deportes Martin Carpena.
Popyrin had eight break chances in the final set, but was constantly repelled by the stubborn Italian, who just needed a second chance in the decider to pounce on match point.
Alex de Minaur (pictured right, with Hewitt) was sent off the court by in-form Jannik Sinner, who won his match 6-3, 6-0.
Sinner lifts the trophy in Malaga – only the second time Italy has won the Davis Cup
The Sydneysider saved one of his worst matches for last, spraying a few forehands well before he could do nothing with a searing backhand from Arnaldi on which he could barely get a racket on match point.
This left Popyrin inconsolable, saying it was the worst he had ever felt.
Defeat put captain Filippo Volandri’s Italian team in the driver’s seat as they sought to win only their second Davis Cup crown against the 28-time champions following their 1976 triumph.
But the 24-year-old couldn’t quite pull it off, even after recovering from a disappointing first set and overall looking in control.
Two breaks propelled him to a 4-0 that he wasn’t about to relinquish and it looked like it was going to continue into the decider only for the Italian to bravely hold on.
For de Minaur, however, there was nothing but misery as Sinner’s mastery condemned him to a ‘bagel’ in the second set, a final capricious backhand ultimately giving the jubilant Italians their only triumph since 1976.
For Australia, however, the frustrating wait continues.