Jannik Sinner caps stellar 2024 by clinching Davis Cup title for Italy again

Italy are Davis Cup champions, again, thanks in part to Jannik Sinner.

A year after he clinched Italy's first title in the competition in nearly half a century, Sinner did it again on Sunday in Malaga. The world No. 1 defeated Tallon Griekspoor 7-6(2), 6-2 to seal Italy's 2-0 win over the Netherlands and make Italy the first country to win back-to-back titles in more than a decade. The last nation to do it in the storied competition was the Czech Republic, in 2012-13.

Sinner was put in a winner position thanks to a 6-4, 6-2 win for Matteo Berrettini over Botic van de Zandschulp in the first rubber.

"I'nm very, very proud of the whole team. There is a lot of work behind it, and ... we are very happy to be back here holding this trophy," Sinner said post-match. "It's a very important competition ... you have different pressure, weight of having Italy on your shoulders, but I think we all handed it very, very well.

"If it was not important, I would not be here. This year, sharing this moment with this group, it means so much to me. I'm very happy and it's an honor to be a part of it."

Sinner had been challenged previously by Griekspoor in his career, despite winning all five matches. The Dutchman won the first set against him in matches at both Miami and Halle this year, and was the first of the two players to generate break point chances in the pivotal match between each team's top players.

But Sinner swatted away both of those chances at 1-1 in the first set, and despite never generating a break point on Griekspoor's serve in the first set, pounced in the tiebreak.

A quick mini-break gave Sinner a lead he never relinquished, and after just under an hour on court, Italy was one set from the title.

The second set was tight in its early stages, as Griekspoor found his range to recover an early break early on. But the world No. 40 was unable to capitalize on a 40-15 lead at 2-2 that would've given him his first lead in the match, and instead, Sinner ran off with the last four games to secure Italy the title.

Earlier, a resurgent Berrettini fired 16 aces and never faced a break point to race through victory against van de Zandschulp, the man who ended Rafael Nadal's career earlier in the competition in the quarterfinals.

Former Top 10 player Berrettini went 3-0 in the competition after being subbed into the play the deciding doubles with Sinner in the quarterfinals against Argentina, and also delivered an opening win against Thanasi Kokkinakis from a set down in the semifinals against Australia.