Italy returns to the field in the Davis Cup. The Azzurri, captained by Filippo Volandri, will challenge Austria in the quarter-finals of the national team tennis tournament at the start. today, Tuesday 18 November and which saw them triumph in 2023 and 2024. However, the road to a third successive title, the fourth in Azzurri history also including the legendary 1976 victory, came with unexpected events, such as the loss of Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti, and high-profile opponents, which could make the path more complicated than ever for Berrettini and his teammates.
Austria, quarterfinal opponent
THAT’AustriaThe Azzurri’s opponents in the quarter-finals and reaching the Davis Cup Final Eight for the first time in its history, are top national teams but within reach of Volandri’s men. Austria eliminated Finland first and then Hungary, thus securing permission for Bologna.
The number one man available to captain Jurgen Melzer is Filip Misolic80th ATP ranking that was not used in the match against Hungary and became a real weapon among singles players. The doubles team formed by Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler is competitive, but not on the same level as two top players such as Bolelli and Vavassori, who were eliminated in the semi-finals of the Turin Final.
From Zverev to France: the danger for Volandri
Apart from Austria, Argentina, Belgium, France, Germany, the Czech Republic and Spain, who had to do without Carlos Alcaraz, also qualified for the Davis Cup Final Eight. Apart from Italy, they will be the national team that will compete for victory in the salad bowl. The absence of the world number one, who just lost to Sinner in the last round of the ATP Finals in Turin, takes away the most dangerous weapon in the path of the Azzurri, who in any case can only face the Iberian national team in the final.
There Spanish this is certainly one of the most dangerous national teams, even without Alcaraz, able to rely on singles players like Martinez, Munar, Carreno Busta and doubles players of absolute level like Granollers. However, to be able to face the Azzurri, the Iberian team must face them first Czech Republic Lehecka, Machac and Mensik and then, most importantly, in the semifinals, with German by Alexander Zverev.
Thanks to Alcaraz’s withdrawal, the world number three became the highest-ranked player in the competition, and despite poor motivation, as revealed in the press conference after the Final, he maintained an advantage over anyone on the other side of the net. On the way to Zverev However, there will be tough opponents such as Cerundolo’s Argentina, who were knocked out by Jannik Sinner’s Italy in the quarter-finals of the last edition.
But before a possible final against Zverev, Italy will have to overcome that hurdle after they beat Austria France. The French team, clear favorites in the quarter-finals alongside Bergs’ Belgium, could field single players such as Rinderknech, Moutet, Mpetshi Perricard and Bonzi. All players are capable of putting the Azzurri in serious trouble.
