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Italy’s Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli will open the singles against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta and Jaume Munar respectively
Jamie BraidwoodSunday 23 November 2025 13:57 GMTComments
Flavio Cobolli has shone for Italy in the absence of Jannik Sinner (AP)
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Italy take on Spain for the Davis Cup title in Bologna on Sunday, but Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are both absent from the final of the World Cup of tennis.
Alcaraz and Sinner clashed in six major finals in 2025, including grand slam finals at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open, as well as the ATP Finals, but they will not meet in the Davis Cup.
But Both players withdrew from their respective teams before the tournament.
After winning back-to-back Davis Cups with Italy in 2023 and 2024, Sinner pulled out of the competition ahead of the ATP Finals, signalling his preference to end his season early and rest ahead of the start of the 2026 season.
Alcaraz had signed up to lead Spain’s bid for a first Davis Cup title since 2019, but the World No 1 was forced to withdraw after injuring his hamstring in his ATP Finals defeat to Sinner. Alcaraz said he was “heartbroken”.
In their absence, Italy and Spain have both reached the final in Bologna. Italy will be attempting to complete a Davis Cup hat-trick, with Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli starring for the hosts and winning two matches each in the victories over Austria and Belgium.
Cobolli, 23, celebrated the win of his life over Zizou Bergs in the semi-finals by ripping off his shirt, having saved seven match points to win a 32-point tiebreak.
Italy are also missing their No 2 Lorenzo Musetti but now stand on the brink of a first Davis Cup hat-trick in 53 years.
Spain, meanwhile, have required victories from their doubles specialists Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez to win tight ties against Czechia and Germany.
They defeated Germany’s Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz after Pablo Carreno Busta beat Jan-Lennard Struff in the singles but Jaume Munar lost to World No 3 Alexander Zverev.
In Sunday’s final, former Wimbledon finalist Berrettini will play the World No 89 Carreno Busta in the opening singles tie, before the 22-ranked Cobolli plays Munar, the World No 36.
If doubles are required, Italy’s Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, who have not played so far this week, will challenge Granollers and Martinez.
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