Davis Cup Finals: Jannik Sinner crushes Baez to level Italy's tie; doubles showdown awaits

Jannik Sinner keeps Italy alive with dominant win over Sebastian Baez (6-2, 6-1); doubles to decide the tie.  World No. 1 delivered an impressive performance against Argentina's Sebastian Baez, levelling the tie at 1-1 after Francisco Cerundolo earlier defeated Lorenzo Musetti.

Sinner's commanding form continued as he secured his 11th consecutive win (26-1 since the Cincinnati Open), extending his streak to 22 straight sets won.

Sinner showcased his superiority from the outset, maintaining an unyielding service game. He capitalised on his first break point in the fourth game to pull ahead 4-1. Despite Baez landing 71% of his first serves, he struggled to win points, managing only 47% success on serve.

Facing Sinner's relentless pressure, Baez served to stay in the first set at 2-5. The Argentine fought valiantly in the longest game of the set but eventually succumbed as Sinner converted his second break on his sixth opportunity, taking the set 6-2.

The second set began even more dominantly for Sinner, who won 16 of the first 20 points to race to a 4-0 lead. Baez earned four break points in the fifth game but failed to convert any, allowing Sinner to extend his lead to 5-0. Although Baez avoided a bagel by holding his last service game, Sinner sealed the match with ease, winning 6-2, 6-1.

In the day’s earlier match, Francisco Cerundolo upset Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1. Musetti, ranked No. 17, held a slight advantage over No. 30 Cerundolo due to the fast indoor conditions favouring his game. However, after breaking early for a 2-0 lead, Musetti lost his serve in the next game, and the set became a seesaw battle.

Both players exchanged breaks in the seventh and eighth games to remain tied at 4-4. Cerundolo closed out the set by winning the last two games consecutively. It was an error-heavy set, with both players combining for 35 unforced errors against just 8 winners.

Cerundolo improved significantly in the second set, especially on serve, and took control after breaking for a 2-0 lead. Musetti failed to create a single break point for a comeback, while Cerundolo won 8 of the final 9 games to secure the victory and put Argentina ahead in the tie.

Unless there’s a last-minute change, the deciding doubles match will feature Italy's specialists Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori against Argentina’s duo of Máximo González and Andrés Molteni.