"It’s a huge slap in the face for Italian sport" - Jannik Sinner drawn criticism from Nicola Pietrangeli after Davis Cup Finals snub

Italy have dominated the Davis Cup in the last two years. They won the title in 2023 and 2024, with four-time Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner playing a hugely important part in these triumphs, winning his previous nine matches for his country. However, Italy will have to defend their title without the world number two, with him being criticised for it.

The Davis Cup Finals will be set in Italy, with Bologna chosen to host the prestigious event, and will take place from 18th-23rd November. It will be hugely competitive, with eight nations looking to taste glory.

Sinner will be undoubtedly a huge miss for the hosts. Along with Carlos Alcaraz, the duo have dominated the sport in recent times. The last eight Grand Slam titles have been split between them, with the last three major finals being competed between them.

For his country, Sinner has lost just one singles match, boasting a 12-1 record when representing Italy. The one defeat came against Sweden's Mikael Ymer in a round-robin clash back in 2022. While Italy can still field a strong team, Sinner's absence will leave a big whole and abolish a large fear factor surrounding the team. His decision not to feature has drawn criticism from two-time Grand Slam champion Nicola Pietrangeli, who shared his disappointment on the situation.

"It’s a huge slap in the face for Italian sport," Pietrangeli said to ASNA. “I don’t understand when he talks about difficult choices. He has to play tennis, not wage war.”

Sinner has decided to skip the Davis Cup Finals to focus on the start of the 2026 campaign in Australia, citing that the fact he won the event twice aided his decision. He has just come off the back of winning the Six Kings Slam, defeating Alcaraz in the final for the first time since the Wimbledon triumph. He played two tournaments in the Asian swing, winning the China Open before retiring from his round-of-32 clash in the Shanghai Masters.

From what Pietrangeli remembers the event as, it was about the honour and prestige of wearing your nation's jersey and playing for your country. He linked his decision to money, hoping that Sinner does not play in a different event while his nation fight for the title.

“When they mention the Davis Cup, I get excited because the goal of an athlete is to wear the blue jersey. But unfortunately, I’m talking about another era," he said. "I hope that during the Davis Cup (Finals) he (Sinner) doesn’t go and play somewhere else… Today, the world is too full of money. They leave their hearts behind."

It will be interesting to see if Italy will be able to defend their title without their number one player. They will be looking to back up the success of the women in the Billie Jean King Cup, but unlike the women with Jasmine Paolini, the men will not have their star player.

They will be led by two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Lorenzo Musseti, with Flavio Cobolli and Matteo Berrettini bolstering a strong singles lineup, with Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori completing the lineup. Their opening tie will be against Austria on the opening day, as they look to once again make it past the quarter-finals. If they make it through then France or Belgium will be their opponents in the semis, with Alcaraz's Spain possible opponents in the final.