Matteo Arnaldi and Lorenzo Sonego won their singles matches to guide Italy to the Davis Cup Final 8 with an unassailable 2-0 lead in Group A in front of 6000 enthusastic fans at the Unipol Arena in Bologna. Italy needed just one win from its three ties against Sweden. Italy finished second behind Canada in Group A.
Arnaldi, who reached the fourth round at this year’s US Open, beat Leo Borg 6-4 6-3 after 1 hour and 22 minutes. Borg earned the first break in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Arnaldi converted his second break back point in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Arnaldi broke for the second time in the 10th game to close out the first set 6-4.
Arnaldi converted his fourth break point in the eighth game to seal the second set 6-3.
Arnaldi, who didn’t know he was going to play in the Davis Cup two weeks ago, won two crucial singles matches against Chile’s Christian Garin on Sunday and Borg on Sunday to secure Italy’s spot in next November’s Final 8 in Malaga. Italy had suffered a surprising 3-0 defeat Canada last Wednesday, when Lorenzo Sonego and Lorenzo Musetti lost to lower ranked players.
“It’s amazing. I was not expecting anything. I wasn’t on the team at first. Then bringing the team there, it’s something crazy to think. I would not have thought about this about a week or two weeks ago”, said Arnaldi.
Sonego beat Elias Ymer 6-4 6-4 to give Italy a 2-0 lead. Sonego earned an early break in the first game of the opening set. Ymer broke back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Sonego converted his second break point in the fifth game and held on his next service games to close out the first set 6-4.
Ymer went up a break in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. Sonego broke straight back in the fifth game and held serve to draw level to 3-3. The Italian player broke for the second time in the seventh game to take a 4-3 and held on his next service games to close out the second set 6-4.
“The atmosphere was amazing. It was unbelievable. It’s nice to play here in front of the home crowd. I am really happy to reach the Malaga Finals for me, for my team and for the support today”, said Sonego.
Filip Bergevi and André Goranson beat Simone Bolelli and Lorenzo Musetti 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 10-7 in the super tie-break in the doubles match.
Spain beats South Korea
Spain beat South Korea with wins by Bernabe Zapata Miralles over Hong Seongchan (6-4 7-5) and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina over Sonwoo Kwon (6-4 6-4), but the former Davis Cup champion were unable to qualify after losing their first two ties against group winners Czech Republic and second placed Serbia.
Italy has reached the Davis Cup quarter finals five time times since 2016.