A sell-out crowd of 10,000 at SuperTennis Arena witnessed a stirring championship match between Italy and Spain in Bologna, with the locals claiming a historic third consecutive title at the men’s World Cup of tennis, Davis Cup, their first on home soil.
“We won three Davis Cups, but this one is completely different in front of our crowd, in our country. It means a lot to me. I have to only say thanks to these guys,” outlined coach Filippo Volandri.
In the spotlight, Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli stepped back onto the court with one goal only: to retain the title for their country.
Three wins from three singles matches apiece to give the 2025 world championship to Italy, finishing their runs undefeated.
When they walked out of the court, their names were etched in history alongside those of teammates Lorenzo Sonego, Andrea Vavassori, Simone Bolelli, and captain Volandri.
Excitement quickly built when Berrettini secured a 1-0 lead by powering past Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-4, the 11th Davis Cup singles straight win for the Roman native, who fired down the most aces (25) at the venue.
The former top 10 player served out for the match to love, courtesy of his booming serve.
Roaring in celebration, the heart of a warrior battling for his nation sent the crowd into a frenzy.
“The team is really strong because the connection is really strong between us. We have known each other for a long time. It’s just too nice to play with them,” shared the 2021 Wimbledon runner-up.
And then, the second singles match got underway, featuring 23-year-old Cobolli and in-form Jaume Munar, enjoying his best season on tour, sitting at a career high of world No. 36.
Two days earlier, the world No. 22 delivered an outstanding performance to make it 2-0, defeating Belgium’s Zizou Bergs in a three-hour thriller.
Throughout his semifinal match, the young Italian held his nerve like a veteran, fending off seven match points in a final-set tiebreak before clinching a monumental 6-3, 6-7(5), 7-6(15) victory en route to the final.
On Sunday, Munar and Cobolli starred in another colossal Davis Cup match with the crown at stake.
The Florence-born got off to an uncharacteristically poor start; the Spanish player seized the moment, turning the first set into a one-sided affair to close out 6-1.
With grit and power, Munar rushed to open a 4-0 lead, finding consistency behind his serve and accuracy to hit a series of winners that helped him build a comfortable advantage.
Wise on the return, he neutralized Cobolli, saving all five break points he faced and never looking back.
According to the competition format, the two sides play three matches: two singles followed by a deciding doubles if required.
After falling a set and a break down early in the second set, a deciding doubles tie emerged on the horizon as fast as it would vanish.
Cobolli shook off the alarming, less-than-convincing opening display, producing a spirited comeback.
On the other side of the net, the 28-year-old Spaniard kept his focus on his game to fend off four set points, forcing a tiebreak that the Italian ultimately notched 7-6(5), setting the level one set apiece.
“We cannot lose for our country,” he said in his on-court interview.
And so he didn’t, completing a monumental turnaround to grab the final set 7-5 and the tie just shy of four hours in Bologna, extending Italy’s Davis Cup winning streak to 14 matches in singles.
“Sometimes you learn, but you never lose. If you give [everything] that you have in your heart - I don’t know what today, where I am, but the only thing that I know is that I am world champion,” Cobolli remarked.
“And this is the best day of my life.”