Italy, Argentina’s fearsome rival, with a Jannik Sinner who has never lost a single in the Davis Cup

After the hard blow that meant the unexpected 2 to 1 defeat before Sweden, Argentina this Friday – from 10 am in our country – he will seek his first victory in the championship Group A of the 2022 Davis Cup Finals, to continue with the chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals. The challenge will be great, because he will face the most complicated rival in the area, Italy. The landlord, who debuted 3-0 against on Wednesday Croatia in the Unipol Arena from Bologna, he not only plays the lead on the home field; it also has a team with three top level singles -the three, top 30- and a very experienced double, who will expect the most from those led by William Coria.

Sinner Jannik leads the local team by ranking and by present. At just 21 he is already 11th in the world, despite being ninth – his best position – in November last year. Champion in July in Umag, where he added his sixth title by beating Carlos Alcarazhad a lot of fun on the North American cement tour, which he capped off with a great performance at US Open. In New York, the man born in San Candido reached the quarter-finals and in that case he played, together with Alcaraz, in the best match of the season; For many, this match was one of the best in recent tennis history.

the duel of Next generation It was a real battle on the field and a spectacular sight for the more than 23,000 people who stayed until the wee hours of the morning. Arthur Ashe. Because the match started on Wednesday 7 September and ended at 2:50 am on Thursday 8. And even if he lost, it was a victory for the Spaniard, then champion and new number one, 6-3, 6-7 (7-9), 6-7 (0-7), 7-5 and 6-3 in 5 hours and 15 minutes-, Sinner made it clear that he is no longer a promise and that he has tennis, mind and body to face anyone.

The 2019 U21 Masters champion does not have a long career at Davis, but he is 100% effective in singles, because he has won all five games he has played. The 2021 Finals, which marked their debut: the victory against Colombia and the fall against the United States in their group and the defeat against Croatia in the quarter-finals. And two in the qualifiers last March against Slovakia. Captain Filippo Volandri He didn’t send him out on Wednesday against Croatia to finish recovering from an ankle injury he dragged on from the US Open.

The second Italian singlelist is Matteo Berretti, 15th in the ATP and 26, also back from an impressive last Grand Slam tournament of the year. He reached the quarter-finals and said goodbye after falling in three sets against the Norwegian Casper Ruudwho then reached the final and thus climbed to the second step of the standings.

Berrettini – who reached his best placement (6th) after playing the semifinals of the Australian Open (lost with Rafael Nadal) – did not have a very good first half. After Indian Wells, he underwent surgery on his right hand and missed the entire European season on clay. He only returned in June, but he came back with everything. He was champion Stuttgart It’s inside of the Queenthe first two tournaments he played after half-time, and reached the final in gstaadbefore the concrete tour culminating in Flushing Meadows.

The native of Rome, finalist in Wimbledon in 2021 he had played three Davis series before the start of the action in Bologna. All in 2019, one in the qualifiers and two in the group stage of the finals, with a record of 1-2 in singles. On Wednesday he beat in three sets Borna Coric to ensure his country’s victory in the series against Croatia.

In that matchthe first point of the room has been reached Lorenzo Musettithe team’s third single, which he beat Borna Gojo. Another member of the Next generation, the one born in Carrara 20 years ago is experiencing the best year of his short career. In July he got his first title in hamburgwith the victory over Alcaraz, he reached the third round of the US Open (his second best performance in a “big”) and today is 30th in the standings, his best position.

Last year he played his first series in Davis against the United States, in which he lost together Fabio Fogni the doubles. In March, against Slovakia in the qualifying round for the finals, he added his first singles win. And she repeated the celebration on Wednesday, before Gojo.

The double Italian is formed by Fognini and Simone Bolellitwo of the three players from that country who have played 25 or more Davis series (the other, Andrea Seppi). Fognini, 28th in the world ranking of couples, has focused on his first appearances in singles, despite having played 19 doubles, with a record of 10-9. Bolelli, 23rd in the standings, has a record of 14-8 in matches of this specialty in the tournament, in which since 2016 he has only played in pairs.

This year together they won the titles of Rio de Janeiro and Umag and were finalists in sidney Y enough. In addition, in 2015 they won the title of Australian Open. Wednesday, in three sets a Matt Pavic Y Nikola Mekticone of the strongest couples on the circuit, Wimbledon champion in 2021 and former world number one.

With three high-level singles and a very strong double, Italy will be a great challenge for Argentina, who need a good result to continue dreaming of finishing in the top two of the group and qualifying for the playoffs, which they will play in Málaga in November. Can those led by the Wizard Would you make the surprise?

The history of Argentina and Italy in Davis

Four chapters has the story of the clashes of Argentina And Italy in the Davis Cup, all played on clay, two in our country and two in Europe. They are tied with two wins on each side.

The first duel was in Quarter-finals 1983, In Rome. With William Vila, José Luis Clerc Y Roberto Arguellothe Argentines prevailed 5 to 0.

More than 30 years have passed for the two countries to cross again. It was in First round of the 2014 World Cup, in Mar del Plata. Italy, with Fognini, Bolelli, Seppi and Filippo Volandriwon 3-1 against the host team, which it formed with Carlo Berlocq, Giovanni Monaco, Edward Schwank Y Horace Zeballodoubles player this week in Bologna.

In 2016, Argentina won 3-1 in Pesaro for the quarter finals and took his second step towards what would later be a historic consecration. They played with blue and white Juan Martin del Potro, Frederic Delbonis, Guido Pela and Monaco; with red, white and green, Fognini, Seppi, Paolo Lorenzi Y Marco Cecchinato.

The last fight was the most painful of the four for national tennis. Italy won 3 to 2 at Parque Sarmiento, for the first round of 2017against an Argentina that premiered the champion’s plate and was hugely disappointed. Diego Schwartzmanngroup leader in Bologna, Berlocq, Pella e Leonard Mayer they couldn’t with Lorenzo, Fognini, Seppi and Bolelli and added a defeat that sent the local team to the playoffs. Months later, the albicelesti fell into that instance earlier Kazakhstan as visitors and descended for the first time in 16 years.

The complete match of group A

Tuesday 13. Argentina 1-Sweden 2

Wednesday 14. Croatia 0-Italy 3

Thursday 15, by TyC Sports Play. Croatia-Sweden

Friday 16, by TyC Sports and TyC Sports Play. Argentina-Italy

Saturday 17th, curated by TyC Sports and TyC Sports Play. Argentina-Croatia

Sunday 18, by TyC Sports Play. Italy-Sweden