Spain and Germany have booked their places in the Davis Cup semi-finals after clinching intense last-eight ties in Bologna on Thursday. Both teams secured 2-1 victories, with Spain defeating the Czech Republic and Germany edging past Argentina in a high-pressure late-night finish.
Spain Fight Back From One Match Down
Spain produced an impressive comeback after falling behind early in their tie.
Pablo Carreno Busta opened the day for Spain but suffered a 7-5, 6-4 defeat to world number 19 Jakub Mensik, giving the Czech Republic a 1-0 lead.
However, Jaume Munar stepped up brilliantly, defeating Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-4 to level the tie and keep Spain alive.
The decisive doubles match saw Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez deliver under pressure, sealing Spain’s victory with a nail-biting 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (10/8) win over Tomas Machac and Jakub Mensik.
Alcaraz Withdrawal Casts Shadow Over Spain’s Campaign
Spain’s victory came despite the absence of world number one Carlos Alcaraz, who withdrew from the tournament on Tuesday due to a hamstring injury picked up during his ATP Finals defeat to Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz had insisted that the injury did not affect his performance, even though he required medical attention during the match.
His withdrawal means fans at the Davis Cup finals are missing out on three top-10 players—Alcaraz, Sinner, and Lorenzo Musetti—all sidelined due to injuries.
Germany Outlast Argentina in a Midnight Marathon
Germany, powered by world number three Alexander Zverev, also clinched a 2-1 win after a rollercoaster tie against Argentina.
Argentina took the early lead when Tomas Martin Etcheverry defeated Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (9/7).
Zverev then levelled the tie with a composed 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) victory over Francisco Cerundolo.
The deciding doubles match stretched into the early hours of Friday. Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz battled through a tense three-set thriller to beat Andres Molteni and Horacio Zeballos 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (12/10).
The German pair survived major drama—wasting three match points at 6-3 in the decisive tie-break—before finally sealing victory shortly after 1:00 AM in Italy (midnight GMT).
Davis Cup Semi-Finals Line-Up
- Spain vs Germany – Saturday
- Italy vs Belgium – Friday (first semi-final), expected to draw a strong home crowd