Davis Cup Finals Round-Up | Matteo Berrettini leads depleted Italy to semi-final meeting with Belgium

While Italy will be without Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti this week at the Davis Cup Finals, they soon delighted today for a depleted side in Bologna as they still managed to win through against Austria on Wednesday.

Straight sets wins for Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli earned victory for the Italian team which dominated despite missing the top players in Sinner and Musetti at the Davis Cup Finals this week. They face Belgium on Friday after they beat France on the opening day.

It means that Italy also continue their 12-tie winning streak at the Davis Cup Finals which stretches back to the group stages of the 2023 tournament. While Spain face Czech Republic and Argentina take on Germany on Thursday.

Former Wimbledon finalist Berrettini got Italy off to a superb start as he came through a final set. He defeated Jurij Rodionov 6-3, 7-6(3) and took the opening set with a single break of serve but faced an uphill battle as he was broken for the first time and fell 5-2 behind. The 29-year-old withstood three set points to level at 5-5 and he wrestled control of the tie-break and avoided a decider.

"When I play for my country I just think about trying to win the next point, trying to fight really hard for my team-mates, for everybody who is here and everyone who is watching from home," said Berrettini.

"That's the biggest privilege. If I win it's better, but I try to enjoy being out there every time. It is something so special."

Then it was up to Cobolli who eased past Filip Misolic who is the Austrian Number One in a 6-1, 6-3 win. He impressed with a run to the Quarter-Finals of Wimbledon this year dominating the first set which lasted just 30 minutes with three breaks of serve.

He set his stall out early in front of the home crowd who wouldn't get the embroiled version of Berrettini in the opening set. He tightened his grip on the match in the second set securing an early break as he moved into a 3-0 lead before confidently serving his way to victory.

"We all want to win this cup and I felt the support of the bench, it was unbelievable," said Cobolli "When I play for them, it is something which I cannot describe."

They would secure a three peat if they managed to win this week. Davis Cup organisers said as per BBC Sport that talks will take place about the tournament's future amid the absence of several top players.

While Berrettini and Cobolli shone for their nation, the absence not only of Sinner and Musetti but also Alcaraz even being injured has hampered it. Alexander Zverev is the only top name who is present this week and other nations such as Australia, US and Great Britain didn't qualify in the first place.

Zverev has also massively criticised the event this week and so while he is there, he hasn't particularly spoke glowingly of the event and being at the end of the season after a long and arduous year many decide not to bother and this has seemingly devalued it.