Davis’ epic win that took Italy back to the final, the tenth in history in any form of salad bowl. the third in a row.
And the victory over Belgium was also a celebration of a relationship, namely Berrettini and Cobolli, who dragged the whole team to other tasks, accompanied by messages from Sinner and Musetti who entered the chat group. The 2-0 win in the final, with Flavio ripping his shirt off like Hulk Hogan, will remain a photograph in our tennis history, one that never ceases to be remarkable. In short, tomorrow at 3 pm we will try to defend the trophy (today another Spain-Argentina semi-final starts at noon), but Italy’s success is more than sporting, especially in the best memories of the pair of “older brothers”, when he pumped his fists in the press room to talk about his 6-3, 6-4 success over Collignon while Flavio won the first set: «When I met him, in Aniene he was 8 years old and I was 6 years older. We played a lot together when we were young, we had fun, I helped him when he needed it: now the age gap is no longer felt, we are more united than ever.”
When Matteo then came down to the bench to give him courage, the match between Cobolli and Bergs was already a challenge at the OK Corral: a first set that makes you dream of a quick finish, a second set holding serve and deciding on the edge of the tiebreak in favor of Zizou. Then the third, very tense, with Flavio forced to save 4 break points. It was a thrill: two match points arrived for the Azzurri, canceled out by Bergs’ serve, the brink – for one and the other – always close. So, it’s another tie break, the difference between a hero and a missed opportunity. Cobolli was tired, it wasn’t even obvious, but he had a big heart like this: he fell, hitting lobs alternating ahead with tired mistakes. “Fight!” Matteo ordered, his friend Edoardo Bove anxiously in the stands: this time match point was contested, twice Zizou did it alone, the third was a smash that blasted Bologna, the fourth was a winning serve, then Bergs canceled out another with a photographic volley. This is a story about the impossible, we keep going like this and can’t calculate the odds, which in the end will be seven to one. But there was something miraculous, because Cobolli rose again when he was dead.
The tie break ended 17-15, the match 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, with total hugs, between Matteo and Flavio and also to console Zizou: «I dedicate it to my mother, to my brother who is crying, to Edo who will soon return to playing football. And to our great group.”
To friends.
