Matteo Berrettini defeats Botic Van de Zandschulp in Davis Cup final | ATP Tour
Matching Report
Berrettini sinks Van de Zandschulp, putting Italy ahead in the Davis Cup final
Sinner meets Griekspoor in the second leg of the tie
November 24, 2024
Jorge Guerrero/AFP via Getty Images
Matteo Berrettini celebrates on Sunday after putting Italy 1-0 ahead in the Davis Cup final.
Written by Andy West
Italy is in the midst of Jannik Sinner's successful Davis Cup defense in Malaga.
Matteo Berrettini defeated Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-2 on Sunday afternoon to put his country 1-0 up against the Netherlands in the final of the group event. With his 76-minute victory, Berrettini gave World No. 1 Sinner's chance to seal the Italian title by beating Tallon Griekspoor in the second singles rubber.
5 ⭐️ BERRETTINI@federtennis YOU ARE ALONE in their defense #DavisCup cup! 🇮🇹@DavisCup | #DavisCup | @MattBerrettini pic.twitter.com/SS0f8QZ5Za
– ATP Tour (@atptour) November 24, 2024
After a tough opening, Berrettini won nine of 11 games from 3-4 in the first set to improve to 5-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Van de Zandschulp. The Italian, who this year lifted the ATP Tour crowns in Marrakech, Gstaad and Kitzbühel, won 86 percent (30/35) of the points after his debut and did not face a break point en route to victory.
If Italy goes on to lift the trophy, whether with one Sinner or two wins, it will be the first country to successfully defend the Davis Cup title since Czechia in 2013.
