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Australia suffered the agony of a Davis Cup final defeat for a second straight year, falling to Jannik Sinner’s Italy without the doubles needing to be played.
Sinner sealed the Italians’ second Davis Cup title, and first in 47 years, with a sixth win in as many meetings with Australia’s No.1 Alex de Minaur. Earlier, countryman Matteo Arnaldi outlasted Alexei Popyrin in a tense three-setter that left Lleyton Hewitt’s squad in a huge hole.
“It has been an incredible feeling for all of us, and obviously, we are really happy,” Sinner said on Sunday (Monday AEST). “Yesterday, we were one point away from being out [against Serbia in the semi-finals], and now we can celebrate a win.”
Australia were bidding to end a 20-year title drought, from when Hewitt led his country to success against Spain in Melbourne, alongside Mark Philippoussis, Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs.
However, just like 12 months earlier against Canadians Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov, Australia were unable to win either of their singles rubbers in Malaga, Spain.
De Minaur started in typically high-octane fashion and with a clear strategy to get to the net whenever possible, but the long-limbed Sinner absorbed the early onslaught before posting a runaway 6-3, 6-0 victory.
Alex de Minaur lost in straight sets to Jannik Sinner.Credit: Getty
The jubilant Italians mobbed Sinner on court after de Minaur sprayed a backhand wide on the third match point.
Sinner, coached by Australia’s Darren Cahill, plundered 25 winners to 15 against de Minaur, who will need to regroup in the off-season to discover a new way to attack a player who has become the hottest ticket in men’s tennis.
The triumph caps Sinner’s career-best year, which led him to world No.4 in the rankings, a maiden Masters 1000 title – over de Minaur in Toronto – the ATP Finals decider and two wins over Novak Djokovic in a month, which included saving triple match point in the Davis Cup semi-finals.
Italy’s campaign would have ended if Sinner had not climbed from the canvas against Djokovic, and he returned to perform a key role in a doubles win that clinched his country’s passage to the final.
The Italian team celebrates in Malaga.Credit: Getty
The 22-year-old is yet to win a grand slam title but will fancy his chances of a breakthrough at next year’s Australian Open, where Djokovic is unbeaten since 2018.
Sinner’s red-hot form and unblemished record against de Minaur meant Popyrin’s clash was crucial to Australia’s hopes.
The Australian camp was confident of winning the title if it could split the singles and hand the job to 2022 Wimbledon doubles champions Matt Ebden and Max Purcell, but Popyrin’s 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 loss to Arnaldi left de Minaur needing a huge upset.
The defeat will go down as the toughest of Popyrin’s career to date. He failed to convert eight break points in the final set across four Arnaldi service games.
Alexei Popyrin is consoled by Lleyton Hewitt after his defeat.Credit: Getty
Arnaldi required just one match point, breaking Popyrin in the final game and putting Italy 1-0 up when he drilled a down-the-line backhand that the Australian could not control from the net.
“I felt like I was in control from the second set onwards,” Popyrin said.
“I had break points every single game in the third set, so it’s heartbreaking. I let it slip, and that’s something in Davis Cup finals – it hurts. It’s just painful that I couldn’t get us off on the right foot.”
After a passive, nerve-riddled start, Australia’s world No.40 thundered through the second set – hitting six aces among nine winners –and pounded a backhand return past his Italian rival to bring up double break point in the opening game of the third set.
Arnaldi fended off both chances, only for Popyrin to sit him on his backside with a furious forehand down the middle of the court.
Popyrin failed to capitalise again, and Arnaldi held soon after, kick-starting a frustrating theme for the Australian, who finished off only three break points from 16 chances for the match.
Australia will not have to qualify for next year’s Davis Cup finals thanks to reaching the decider again, and have become one of the strongest nations in men’s tennis during Hewitt’s reign.
De Minaur, Popyrin, Purcell, Jordan Thompson, Aleks Vukic, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Chris O’Connell and Rinky Hijikata are all inside the ATP Tour’s top 100 rankings, while Jason Kubler and James Duckworth are just outside.
Hewitt will hope to convince the injured and unranked Nick Kyrgios to end his Davis Cup exile, which stretches to 2019, assuming the swashbuckling Canberran returns to his best.
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