Canada wins the Davis Cup, 2-0 against Australia – Corriere.it

mALAGA
The Canada eliminated 4-0 in qualifying by the Netherlands and readmitted with wild card after the outbreak of war and the exclusion of holders Russia conquer Davis in Malaga (2-0 to Australia in the final): we note that the new cup, among the assorted distortions (playing two sets out of three in another sport), foresees that a rescued team can enter the golden register. For Canada, driven by the talent of Auger-Aliassime (6-3, 6-4 to De Minaur) and the good left-handed streak of Shapovalov (6-2, 6-4 to Kokkinakis), the first time in 109 years of history: Novak Djokovic was also in the stands yesterday to admire the new champions who spend the winter in Marbella, 60 km from here.

The good news is the wild card with which Italy’s semifinal was awarded, defeated on Saturday in the decisive double by Canada: next year the Celestine company will directly dispute the group stage (September 11-17, Bologna confirmed as venue) without going through the February preliminaries. It means having ten months to try and build a (not easy) alternative to the veteran duo, Fognini-Bolelli, 72 years old together: Fabio muttered that this could have been his last appearance in the blue (I exclude: we will also have him with us in the 2023 Berrettini intervened decisively with a leader’s attitude), Simone at 37 years of age more often in pain than healthy. In a formula that assigns double 50% of the importance on the result, it is unthinkable not to have a duo of specialists (or at least one), unless coach Volandri thinks he can always win 2-0 thanks to the starting singles players: Sinner and Berrettini. Certainly if healthy, able and enlisted.

Berrettini-Fognini, the group wrecked in the semifinal with Pospisil-Aliassime, cannot be a solution: there is no question that Matteo puts his already fragile health at risk by playing singles and doubles in the Grand Slams and Masters 1000 (the same goes for Sinner, tested in Davis doubles with Fognini in Turin last year). Sonego has a good understanding with fellow citizen Andrea Vavassori, third Italian (n.52) in the world ranking of specialties, never fully entered – however – within the city’s attention range. And the scenario of Sinner and Berrettini together, experienced in the ATP Cup (one victory and one defeat), suggestive but crumbly.

In short, the national team restarted from Malaga with good indications for the future but also with a list of homework to do. Thanks to the placement in the semi-finals, Italy is once again among the four strongest countries in the world, with Croatia (which was beaten in the group stage in Bologna) as the best team in Europe for the first time since 1979. One triumph (1976), six lost finals, 11 semifinals (of which 6 interzone with the old formula) including that of Malaga are an important baggage. 2023 will have to be the season of the leap in quality. After the compliments and the statistics, the facts.