Forza! Italy Achieves Davis Cup Finals Three-Peat With Win Over Spain

Team Italy, Davis Cup champions
Italy team captain Filippo Volandri, Flavio Cobolli, Lorenzo Sonego, Matteo Berrettini, Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli (photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for ITF)

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

While a lot can happen quickly in a Davis Cup Finals best-of-3 tie-break sets format, Italy and Spain each took different paths in arriving at Sunday’s title showdown in Bologna.

For two-time defending champion Italy, in both of their early tie victories, they took care of business during singles, going 4-0 – two victories each from Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli at No. 2 and No. 1 singles, respectively – while both of Spain’s tie triumphs were decided by doubles, where Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez rose to the occasion against both Czechia and Germany.

With a deafening atmosphere permeating inside SuperTennis Arena and an emotional crowd of 10,000 filled to the rafters, cheering for both Italy and Spain, both teams were ready to go to battle. Whether it would for just a few hours or well into the evening remained to be seen. However, with neither World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz nor No. 2 Jannik Sinner on the scene, it would be up to each team’s respective country mates to bring home the big trophy. There was plenty at stake. Italy was going after a Davis Cup title three-peat, while Spain was trying to win its first Davis Cup trophy since 2019.

As it happened, Italy and Spain played well into the evening. They wouldn’t have it any other way. At a few minutes past 8 o’clock, Italy won its third straight Davis Cup Finals title. By the end, Italian players, coaches and fans were cheering and hugging – and crying happy tears – after an emotional 2-0 victory over Spain.

Italy’s three-peat was complete, the first Davis Cup three-peat since the United States from 1970-72.

The Italian Davis Cup team – Berrettini, Cobolli, Lorenzo Sonego, Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori and captained by Filippo Volandri – went undefeated by winning six straight singles rubbers over the course of three ties in Bologna. They swept Austria, Belgium and Spain – each without having to play doubles.

“It’s the third one in a row but I’m crying. I didn’t cry when we won the first two. It’s unbelievable,” Volandri said during an on-court interview shortly after Cobolli clinched the tie with a come-from-behind win at No. 1 singles. “We had a lot of tough moments – even if it doesn’t look like it – but as a group, what I said was we had the power to manage this moment. … It’s an unbelievable result. It’s incredible.”

The 56th-ranked Berrettini put Italy on the board first with a passionate and spirited 6-3, 6-4 win over No. 89 Pablo Carreño Busta of Spain in an hour and 19 minutes. Then, it was in the hands of the World No. 22 Cobolli, fresh off winning a dramatic and extraordinary 32-point, 17-15 tie-break against Zizou Bergs of Belgium on Friday that lifted Italy into the Davis Cup final. Cobolli faced No. 36 Jaume Munar, who was elevated this week into playing No. 1 singles with the absence of Alcaraz due to an injury.

Although Cobolli spotted Munar a 5-0, double-break lead to open their rubber, the 23-year-old Italian from Florence staged a remarkable comeback rally over the course of their two-hour, 57-minute battle. By the conclusion, Cobolli prevailed with a 1-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5 victory, which lifted Italy to its third consecutive Davis Cup Finals title.

Cobolli won 72 percent (36 of 50) of his first-serve points, converted two of 14 break-point chances, and was outpointed by Munar 102-94.

“It’s impossible to describe this feeling. It’s impossible,” Cobolli said during an on-court interview shortly after securing match and championship point. “I dreamed a lot for this night. I played an amazing match today. I don’t know how I won. The match was tough. Jaume played so good. 

“You know, we cannot lose for our country. Sometimes you learn, but you never lose. If you give all of what you have in your heart. … I don’t know what I did today. I don’t know where I am. The only thing I know is that I’m World Champion.”

After Cobolli congratulated Munar and received hugs from his Volandri and his teammates, he returned to the court and knelt down and kissed the hard court surface that he played so magnificently on. 

From the outset of the championship final, Berrettini went to work immediately and struck a pair of service aces against Carreño Busta to start the No. 2 singles battle, each one filled with plenty of power and excitement, and the championship tie was underway. He closed out a solid hold with his third ace, which got the crowd up on their feet in applause. Whether it was a portends of good things to come remained to be seen, but Berrettini would certainly keep the Italian fans engaged and entertained.

On serve through the first seven games half an hour into the tie, Berrettini gained the first break points of the first rubber by going ahead of Carreño Busta 0-40. The Spaniard saved the first two with good serving, but a lovely backhand volley winner out wide by Berrettini completed an eight-shot rally and gave Italy its first advantage at 5-3 with a chance to serve it out. 

Soon, Berrettini served out the 35-minute opening set 6-3 after holding at love, which included his sixth ace, and it boosted Italy’s confidence going forward. Benefiting from 10 unforced by Carreño Busta helped matters, too.

Next, Berrettini gained a pair of break points in Carreño Busta’s first service game thanks to a double fault. The Spaniard saved the first one with his second ace and erased the second one after Berrettini went for broke with a forehand down the line that missed wide. Carreño Busta went on to hold serve knowing there would be other difficult games ahead. His service games were grueling and methodical, while Berrettini’s were fast and filled with many powerful aces.

At 4-all, with everything even up, the pressure intensified with each game. Berrettini gained a trio of break points with a strong and well-executed backhand winner. While Carreño Busta saved the first one, Berrettini pounced on the next point and broke his opponent for the second time, taking advantage of a unforced error on a forehand return that went too long. 

Berrettini needed to win just one more service game and he started it with a powerful ace up the middle – his 12th – and followed it with an unforced error by Carreño Busta after hitting a 14th shot long. Berrettini gained match point on the next point after the Spaniard was unable to deliver a return in play. With three match points available to Berrettini, the Italian delivered on the first one after Carreño Busta netted a weak return and Italy gained an important first point in the tie – needing to win just one more point.

“I’m so proud of myself, proud of my teammates, my coaches, everyone who made this final possible,” Berrettini said during his on-court interview afterward. “Obviously, it’s a step toward taking this title. I’m really happy for the fact that I am here. I tried to enjoy it out there as much as I could.”

Berrettini delivered for Italy an important first point in the tie with his 11th straight Davis Cup singles victory. He received hugs from his teammates and loud cheers from the legion of Italian fans. Berrettini finished with 13 aces, hit eight additional winners, won 82 percent (27 of 33) of his first-serve points, converted two of seven break points and outpointed his opponent 58-44. He took full advantage of 36 unforced errors by Carreño Busta while committing only 16. It all added up to an impressive victory for the 29-year-old Roman, who delivered for Italy on the world’s biggest stage.

“Yeah, I’m really proud and happy,” Berrettini added. “My family is here watching. It’s just one of those moments I’m going to remember this moment for the rest of my life. 

“Obviously, it’s a different feeling [than the other two titles] but at the same time I feel like the last year in Malaga it was full of Italians as well. Here it’s different, more Italians. When you’re on the court, you try to just think about your opponent and what you want to do. Otherwise, you can get distracted. That’s at least what I do. Obviously, in the important moments, I call on the crowd and the people and get some energy.”

Berrettini spoke about the family atmosphere among his teammates. They’ve grown up together. He and the 30-year-old Sonego rose from among the same generation of Italian players, and Cobolli is the son of Berrettini’s former coach, Stefano Cobolli. He said it was Bolelli, whom he’s known “since I don’t remember when,” who was the first to tell him he would one day play Davis Cup. “I believed him. I guess he was right.”

Looking back, Berrettini and Cobolli delivered magic moments for themselves, their team and for their country. If Berretttini was the heart and soul of the Italian team, Cobolli simply was a hero in waiting, both a couple of days ago against Bergs and Belgium – and, again, he was a hero on Sunday.

“At the end [of my match], I looked at my bench and I found something in my heart,” Cobolli said. “I gave everything for this team. At the end, it was a great thing. Like I said before, I’m World Champion.”

Davis Cup news and noteworthy

• During a news conference before the Italy-Spain final, ITF President David Haggerty praised Bologna for putting on a great week in its first year as host city of the Davis Cup Final 8.

“I think we’re building on the success we had in Malaga,” he said. “I have to say it’s been an amazing, incredible week. We’d like to thank the FITP and the ITF team for working together in such a collaborative way. On the court it’s been great to see the matches that we’ve had. Very exciting ties. Over 90 percent capacity during the week. Very happy. Also very happy for Italy to be hosting for the next three years. But most importantly this will be the second tie at home in the history of the Finals. It’s really exciting. Best luck to both of the teams.

“The other thing I’d like to say is we made a transition this year to the group stages being home and away, which has been well received by the players.”

• After Italy won the Billie Jean King Cup title this year, they became just the third nation to win the Billie Jean King Cup and the Davis Cup title in the same season on multiple occasions. It’s been previously done by the United States seven times (1963, 1969, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1990) and Australia three times (1964, 1965 and 1973). By winning both the Billie Jean King Cup and the Davis Cup last year, Italy became the fifth nation to achieve the feat, after the United States, Australia, Czechia (2012) and Russia (2021), which competed as the Russian Tennis Federation.

By the numbers

• Sunday’s Italy-Spain clash was the 14th Davis Cup meeting for the two nations, but their first in 19 years. Italy and Spain last met in the 2006 World Group playoffs, and this year’s captains, Filippo Volandri (Italy) and David Ferrer (Spain) both played in that tie.

• The two nations first met 93 years ago in 1932 and faced each other eight times between 1932 and 1992, with Italy leading the head-to-head 6-2. However, before Sunday, Spain led the head-to-head from 1994 to present 4-1, only falling to Italy in the 1997 World Group quarterfinals.

“Quotable …”

“Well, it was very, very, very close tie. Anyway, at the end they compete all the week. We were really close. Yes, you say it: I am very proud of them. Finally Italy in important moments, they play really good. Is not easy for us to play in Italy against Italy.

“We have to be happy because I really think that the players have capacity to be ready for next year. This is experience.

“Well, in my opinion, it was a great, great year in Davis Cup.”

– Spain team captain David Ferrer, during his team’s post-tie news conference Sunday evening, after his team lost to Italy 2-0.

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