Italy beat Austria despite Jannik Sinner’s absence to move step closer to Davis Cup hat-trick

Reigning champions Italy swept aside Austria in their Davis Cup quarter-final to continue their bid for a third consecutive title.

Despite missing their top two players, world No 2 Jannik Sinner and No 8 Lorenzo Musetti, Italy were dominant in two straight-set wins to set up a tie with Belgium on Friday.

The partisan crowd inside Bologna’s SuperTennis Arena also played its part, cheering on its heroes only a few days after Sinner defended his ATP Finals title to deafening cheers in Turin.

Former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini beat 177th-ranked Jurij Rodionov 6-3 7-6(4), coming back from a 5-2 deficit and facing two set points in the second set before forcing a tie-break.

Italy’s highest-ranked player competing at the tournament, world No 22 Flavio Cobolli, then swatted aside Filip Misolic 6-1 6-3 in little over an hour to book their place in the semi-finals.

“When I play for my country I just think about trying to win the next point, trying to fight really hard for my team-mates, for everybody who is here and everyone who is watching from home,” Berrettini said after his victory.

“That’s the biggest privilege. If I win it’s better, but I try to enjoy being out there every time. It is something so special.”

Belgium beat France 2-0 on the opening day of the Finals to move into the last four, while the other half of the draw sees Spain face the Czech Republic and Argentina play Germany for a semi-final berth.

This year’s edition may end up being one of the last in its current format, with talks reportedly set to take place over the future of the tournament.

Only one of the world’s top 10, third-ranked Alexander Zverev, is in action in Bologna this week, with Sinner prioritising recovery after a gruelling season and world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz forced to pull out with a hamstring injury. Only eight of the world’s top 20 have taken part in the Davis Cup in any of its rounds this season.

Sinner and Alcaraz are among the players to have suggested the so-called ‘World Cup of Tennis’ switch to a biennial rather than annual event, as debates continue to rage over the ever-expanding calendar and its effect on player welfare.