With Spain Chasing After Its Seventh Davis Cup Title, Anything Is Possible

Jaume Munar, Pedro Martinez, Marcel Granollers, Pablo Carreño Busta
Jaume Munar, Pedro Martinez, Marcel Granollers and Pablo Carreño Busta (photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for ITF)

BOLOGNA/WASHINGTON, November 23, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

When Spain rallied to beat Germany 2-1 to secure their Davis Cup semifinal victory on Saturday evening, in their 18th meeting – and fifth since 2000 – it advanced the Spaniards into their first Davis Cup final since they won it all in 2019.

The Spanish team that lifted the Davis Cup trophy six years ago, following their 2-0 victory in the final against Canada, featured Rafael Nadal, Roberto Bautista Agut and Feliciano Lopez. It also included two others who are part of this year’s Spanish armada: Pablo Carreño Busta and Marcel Granollers. It was Spain’s sixth Davis Cup title. They also won Davis Cup crowns in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2011. They also finished runners-up in 1965, 1967, 2003 and 2012.

Now, Spain will be going after Davis Cup title No. 7 on Sunday against Italy, which has won the last two Davis Cup titles and also was champion in 1976.

Against Germany, both the 34-year-old Carreño Busta and Granollers, 39, played key roles in helping the Spanish beat the Germans. First, Carreño Busta came from 1-6 down during a second-set tie-break to win it 8-6 and it secured him a straight-set 6-4, 7-6 (6) victory over Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff. Then, with the tie even at 1-all, Granollers teamed with Pedro Martinez to pull out a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory against Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz that lifted Spain over Germany and into Sunday’s Davis Cup final against defending champion Italy, which will be attempting to win its third-consecutive Davis Cup title.

Granollers and Martinez were asked during their team’s post-tie news conference about what sealed the victory that lifted Spain into Sunday’s final with Italy.

“We had a very strong start,” Granollers said. “We start playing amazing, especially on return. Yeah, also in the third set we had momentum together. I think we did great on the return games that we both connected at the same time. It’s very important to break. 

“Yeah, we were focused on our serves, to do the right things. Yeah, it worked today.”

Martinez added: “They have a really strong doubles. We played very good since the beginning, especially the first games of the match. Then, their level was a little bit up. The energy of us went a little bit down in the second set. Then, at the end of the match, we went up again. We ended up playing really good tennis. That was the thing.”

Spain’s team captain, David Ferrer, for one, was in a happy mood to talk.

“I’m really proud, of course, because this has been an amazing week. I did believe that they could do it,” he said. “For the moment, we are in the Final. Now, it’ is time to enjoy and have dinner. After that, it’s important that [the players] rest and be ready for [Sunday] because it is a great opportunity for them and a great challenge. I hope that we’re going to be ready.”

Although Italy will have had an extra day to rest and prepare, after defeating Belgium 2-0 to win its semifinal on Friday, Ferrer said it didn’t really matter to Spain. Rather, he suggested, the most important thing is the Spanish are in the final.

“The most important is that we’re in the final,” he said. “That’s the most important. Of course, we’re playing in Bologna. It’s a home of Italy. They  deserve because they won the last two times Davis Cup. We agree with that. We have been playing in Spain last year, the last three years.

“We never did final, so now is time to know that and to accept that tomorrow, in case that we lose, is not because the lose like this, it’s because maybe Italy deserve to win. We’re going to be ready to fight and to have chance to win.”

Spain has fared well against Italy in recent times, winning the last three and four of the last five matches. However, neither of the teams will have their superstar players. Spain will be with World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who injured his right thigh during the recent ATP Finals in Turin, while Italy with be without either World No. 2 Jannik Sinner or World No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti, both whom didn’t make themselves available for the Davis Cup Final 8 week.

“The past doesn’t count. The [present] is the moment,” Ferrer said. “Tomorrow is going to be, I don’t know, is going to be different.

“As you say, the teams are different to the past. Italy, they have amazing, amazing players. Of course, they are without Lorenzo Musetti and Jannik Sinner. It’s a good point. But as well we don’t have Carlos Alcaraz with us. We’ll see.”

Ferrer was asked what, if any, difference it will make to the teams not having their biggest stars in the lineup. “Carlos is not here because he was injured,” he said. “It happens in tennis. We know that. We believe that without Carlos we can do a great week. Now, we are ini the final.

“I would like to be focused with my players because tomorrow could be a big, big day for them.’

With only a four-player team with the absence of Alcaraz, expect Spain’s lineup to remain unchanged. Carreño Busta will play No. 2 singles, Jaume Munar at No. 1 singles, and Granollers and Martinez will start at doubles.

On the other side of the net, it’s likely that Italy will counter with Matteo Berrettini at No. 2 singles, Flavio Cobolli at No. 1 singles and Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori at doubles. Lorenzo Sonego will be on the bench available to play either singles or doubles. Both Berrettini and Cobolli are undefeated this week in Bologna.

Meanwhile, Ferrer was reminded by a reporter that the last time Spain and Italy faced each other, 19 years ago in the 2006 World Group playoffs, both he and Italy team captain Filippo Volandri played in that tie.

“He’s a great captain,” Ferrer said, breaking into a smile as he spoke about Volandri. “He’s done unbelievable with his team. He’s won twice in Davis Cup. He’s a great person as well. He’s a leader of the group. 

“For me, Filippo is a good friend. He deserves all the best, but not tomorrow.”

By the numbers

Sunday marks the 14th Davis Cup meeting for Spain and Italy. However, it’s just the first time in 19 years they’ve faced each other. The two nations last met in the 2006 World Group playoffs, and current team captains Filippo Volandri (Italy) and David Ferrer (Spain) both played in that tie.

Volandri defeated Tommy Robredo in the first match of the tie before Spain won the next four matches to win 4-1 in Santander, with Ferrer winning the fifth match against Andreas Seppi after the tie had already been decided.

“Quotable …”

“I think this match you only have in Davis Cup. We saw two great players fight for their country. They made both an unbelievable job. Only one had to win. In the end we did it. That’s what I said to Flavio. I told him that he wanted more than the opponent. I don’t know if was true or not.

“Yeah, in the end this is something unbelievable. I’m really proud about Flavio, proud of course of Matteo, but all the team. The crowd made different in the end. We had like 10,500 pushing ourself through the limit because I think we passed the limit. It’s been a great match. As Flavio said, time to recover.”

– Italy team captain Filippo Volandri, during his team’s post-match news conference Friday after Flavio Cobolli won a 32-point tiebreaker 17-15 to give the Italians a 2-0 victory over Belgium, which advanced them to Sunday’s final and a chance to go after three-straight Davis Cup titles.

 

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