Davis Cup, Italy-USA 2-1. Azzurri in the semifinals

From our correspondent Federica Cocchi

November 24th
– MALAGA (Spain)

We’ll call it the Thanksgiving Miracle. Italy beat the United States 2-1 in a match in which they started without the underdogs and allowed Mardy Fish’s men to celebrate Thanksgiving in peace. Lorenzo Sonego opens, Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini close, once again able to field all their experience against a completely new but very insidious duo like that of Tommy Paul and Jack Sock. A madness, in retrospect, if you think that the US captain has chosen to leave Ram, fresh Masters champion in doubles with Salisbury, to play Paul who has no experience in pairs. But frankly, it doesn’t matter to us. We need to celebrate, rest, prepare for a semifinal that the Azzurri have been missing since 2014, when Italy was defeated by Federer and Wawrinka’s Switzerland in Geneva.

Sonny’s rebirth

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He had said: “A Taurus heart battle awaits me”, and so it was. Lorenzo Sonego’s match of his life had brought the first point for Italy. Sonny, called back to the national team in extremis after the forfeit of the two blue strikers, fought and beat Frances Tiafoe in the opening match and at the third match point in two sets 6-3 7-6 with a performance like Berrettini’s service and 17 aces with the 84% of the points with the first one. A desire for revenge and the enthusiasm of the people made the difference: “It was like being in Italy, a bit like what happens when we play in Rome. But after all we’re in Malaga, it’s not a long journey for our fans. Also for the public, I enjoyed every moment and had fun. Playing for the national team is pride and responsibility, defending the colors of your country is very different from playing in Tour tournaments.” The weight of starting as an Underdog, the underdog on the eve of the “The goal was to avoid putting too much pressure on myself, as had happened in the past. The experiences of Turin and Bratislava have taught me a lot. I entered the field convinced and I’m happy”. Lorenzo Musetti instead had to surrender shortly after to Taylor Fritz in two sets 7-6 6-3.

Half muzzles

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On the eve he seemed the favorite over a Taylor Fritz who was coming from a tiring tirade with the semifinal at the Fiansl in Turin. And instead the American number 9 in the ranking and Indian Wells champion didn’t give an inch, especially on the serve with which he often got out of trouble. Lorenzo, who took the field with taping on his calves upside down, seemed more tired than in the last few days when, at least in training, he appeared particularly on the ball and motivated. Perhaps the tension of the blue was felt in a match in which, at least for one set, he played on par with a top 10 player. “In the first set I had my chances and I didn’t take advantage of them – analyzed the 20-year-old after the defeat – I tried to be aggressive, maybe I was in too much of a hurry, but he deserved to win. At the moment he’s stronger than me.” But now we have to turn the page. The semifinal awaits.