Preview Final Italy v Netherlands Davis Cup Finals 2024 as Jannik Sinner and co aim for back-to-back titles

The final is set at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals which will see Italy, the reigning champions take on Netherlands. The current kings of the format facing off against the party poopers. Our preview looks ahead to the highly anticipated clash.

Jannik Sinner and co will be favourites to claim the title on Sunday afternoon and it will likely be the World No.1 who is in the spot against Tallon Griekspoor in order to claim it or if the opening rubber is lost send it to doubles. While Netherlands since defeating Spain joked they may need to poison the food of the Italians to win and it may take just that.

Route to the final

Italy enters the final having last taken down Australia who faced off against them in the 2023 final and it was comprehensive again. Coming from a set down, Matteo Berrettini was thrust into the anchor position instead of Lorenzo Musetti.

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Berrettini played a key role in their doubles win earlier in the week against Argentina to keep them in the running after Musetti had lost the first tie. The former will likely be kept in contention as a result. Sinner of course has been stellar again and has won two Grand Slam titles and eight titles overall. That could be nine as of Sunday.

In addition, he could end the season being the first player since Roger Federer to not lose a match in straight sets all season. As a country, they could also emulate their counterparts who won the Billie Jean King Cup Finals with Jasmine Paolini also showing an Italian renaissance on both sides of the sport.

It also ends an incredible season for Sinner who has played longer than most due to this week's endeavours but if he can bring the title back to Italy again, the lack of an off-season as such will be worth it in the end.

So what of the likely ties. Sinner's match will likely be against Tallon Griekspoor second up after Berrettini or if Musetti is brought back faces off against Botic van de Zandschulp.

Jannik Sinner will likely be the main man again for Italy.

Van de Zandschulp has been marvelous this week. He claimed perhaps the biggest win of his life against Rafael Nadal and backed that up in helping Netherlands to a win over Germany defeating Daniel Altmaier in three sets. The first match as a result is more of a coin flip and sends either Griekspoor into the position of completing the unthinkable against Sinner or keeping them in the tie and sending it to doubles.

As this week has also proven, the Italian's aren't afraid to shake it up with their established pairing of Bolelli and Vavassori not picked against Argentina. Instead they rolled the dice on Sinner and Berrettini and it could be that way again if they end up having to play doubles.

Last year's final

In 2023, it was a tie between the two countries which contested the semi-final as Italy faced Australia. The day began there with Matteo Arnaldi defeating Alexei Popyrin in a closely contested three-set tie. He set the stage for Jannik Sinner to finish the feat.

Sinner produced a dominant win over Alex de MInaur 6-3, 6-0 which perhaps made the decision to pick the latter for their tie yesterday over Alexei Popyrin even more puzzling. He is now 9-0 in terms of their Head to Head deficit and it held the key also in the semi-final. Back then, Italy won their first Davis Cup title since 1976.

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Italy's success was anchored by Sinner who was supported by Lorenzo Sonego, Matteo Arnaldi, Luca Nardi and Lorenzo Musetti back then. Albeit they have a same but different line-up this time with many of the cogs remaining but Matteo Berrettini who glumly looked on from the sidelines last year instead is in situ to play a big part this time around.

What chance do Netherlands have?

The main chance Netherlands have rests on the first match. Botic van de Zandschulp will take on Matteo Berrettini likely. The Italian is not in the greatest form and struggled at times against Thanasi Kokkinakis.

But he favours the fast zippy courts allowing his powerful serve to thrive. His chances against Van de Zandschulp as a result are pretty high. But the Netherlands know that if they want to win the match, they need to win that first tie.

Matteo Berrettini will either send Sinner into needing to win or send them into champions elect.

Van de Zandschulp is used to playing party pooper with a stoic demeanour as evidenced by defeating Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open and also Nadal's career ending at his hands earlier in the week. Paul Haarhuis will rest his hopes on him knowing that emotion won't be an issue when it comes to the tie.

This first match is needed as Tallon Griekspoor perhaps is on a hiding to nothing in facing off against Jannik Sinner especially when their Head to Head record is considered. The Italian leads it 5-0 and Griekspoor has a knack of losing matches against top stars that he is in the lead in.

Sinner excels in the big moments and with a whole team and country behind him will relish the likelihood of finishing off the win. Griekspoor is known for playing power heavy when he is tense which could lead to wayward shots among the brilliance so could be a recipe for disaster.

The big unknown also remains the doubles. Van de Zandschulp will team up with Wesley Koolhof if it is is played. The latter showing spectacular form despite also retiring this week. But the issue is Italy. Simone Vagnozzi has two specialists in Bolelli and Vavassori who play together on the circuit but they may decide again to go for Sinner and Berrettini. Although in a final, will that carry muster? That could be all academic though in reality if Sinner and Berrettini win their ties.

But from 3pm we will find out on Sunday as Italy face Netherlands. Will it be back-to-back or the ultimate rain on the parade of the favourites from the unlikely Dutch.