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Tag: Davis Cup

  • Alcaraz withdraws from Davis Cup Finals because of hamstring injury

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    MADRID — Carlos Alcaraz will go another year without fulfilling his dream of winning the Davis Cup for Spain.

    The top-ranked Alcaraz said he’s heartbroken to withdraw from the Davis Cup Finals in Italy because of a hamstring injury on Tuesday.

    The decision was recommended by doctors, he said.

    “I’m so sorry to announce that I won’t be able to play for Spain in the Davis Cup in Bologna,” Alcaraz said on X. “I have an edema in my right hamstring and the medical recommendation is not to compete.”

    He was hurt during last week’s ATP Finals and was diagnosed with muscle overload and swelling of his right hamstring.

    Alcaraz said he was returning home with a “heavy heart.”

    “I’ve always said that playing for Spain is the greatest thing there is, and I was really looking forward to helping us fight for the Davis Cup.”

    Alcaraz made his Davis Cup debut in 2022 and has a 6-2 overall record, 5-1 in singles. Spain’s last triumph was in 2019.

    He also didn’t play in the 2023 Davis Cup because of fitness issues. Last year, Alcaraz and Spain were eliminated in the opening round of the Final 8 at home in Malaga, spoiling the final match of Rafael Nadal’s storied career.

    The 22-year-old Alcaraz has said he wants “to win the Davis Cup one day … because for me, it’s a really important, important tournament.”

    He was set to lead Spain in Bologna on Thursday against the No. 4-seeded Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. The Czechs include top-20 players Jiri Lehecka and Jakub Mensik. They eliminated the United States in the qualifying round in September.

    On Sunday, Alcaraz had already secured the year-end No. 1 ranking before losing to Jannik Sinner 7-6 (4), 7-5 in the ATP Finals. He also finished No. 1 in 2022, the youngest ever at 19.

    This year he won the French Open and U.S. Open and has six grand slam titles.

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    AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

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  • Djokovic’s winning streak at Davis Cup ends with defeat to Sinner

    Djokovic’s winning streak at Davis Cup ends with defeat to Sinner

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    MALAGA, Spain — Jannik Sinner saved three match points before ending Novak Djokovic’s streak of 21 straight wins in Davis Cup singles matches, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5, to pull Italy level at 1-1 with Serbia in their semifinal showdown on Saturday.

    Sinner’s win avenged his loss to Djokovic for the ATP Finals title just six days earlier.

    Djokovic’s previous singles loss in the Davis Cup was when he retired against Juan Martin del Potro in Serbia’s 2011 semifinal defeat against Argentina. Djokovic’s last loss in a completed singles match in the Davis Cup was in 2009.

    Djokovic squandered a trio of match points before Sinner rallied and broke his next service game to go ahead 6-5 before serving out the match.

    Miomir Kecmanovic beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-1 to give Serbia a 1-0 lead over Italy in the first singles match.

    It was the third meeting between the top-ranked Djokovic and the fourth-ranked Sinner in 12 days. Sinner beat Djokovic in the ATP Finals group stage last week before Djokovic beat Sinner in the final to earn a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title.

    Djokovic and Sinner faced off again in doubles later Saturday, with Djokovic teaming up with Kecmanovic and Sinner with Lorenzo Sonego.

    The winning team will face Australia in Sunday’s final on the same indoor hard court in Malaga, Spain.

    In the first singles match, Musetti recovered from an early break to win a first-set tiebreaker. But Kecmanovic got stronger as the match went on and enjoyed a lopsided third set for his first win in three career meetings with Musetti.

    In the second singles match, Sinner started strong and won back-to-back breaks for a 4-1 lead in the first set. Djokovic then hit back by breaking Sinner twice in the second set to force a decider.

    Djokovic had five break chances, including the match points, in the third set, but Sinner saved them all.

    Djokovic helped Serbia win its first and only Davis Cup title in 2010. On Thursday, he became the outright most successful Serbian player when he beat Cameron Norrie for his 44th victory in the competition.

    Serbia is seeking its first final since 2013 when it lost to the Czech Republic in Belgrade.

    Italy’s only title was in 1976. Its last final was in 1998.

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    AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

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  • Davis Cup: Australia beats Croatia 2-1 to reach final

    Davis Cup: Australia beats Croatia 2-1 to reach final

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    MÁLAGA, Spain (AP) — Australia had to fight back twice to reach its first Davis Cup final in 19 years after beating Croatia 2-1 on Friday.

    Lleyton Hewitt’s team recovered from losing the first singles. Then the Australian doubles pair battled back from a set down in the decider.

    Australia won its 28th and last title in 2003. It has finally got back to the final.

    “I am so proud. Australia has a really rich history in this competition,” said Hewitt, who played a record 43 Davis Cup ties for Australia from 1999-2018.

    “We have been fortunate to win it all on a number of occasions a long time ago. And I know what it meant to me as a player to play a final, and I am glad these guys can play it.”

    Borna Coric put Croatia ahead by beating Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-4, 6-3, but Alex de Minaur leveled after defeating Marin Cilic 6-2, 6-2 to send it to the doubles.

    Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell then secured the semifinal win against Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic by 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-4.

    “This is what this team is about, that never-say-die attitude,” De Minaur said.

    Canada will face Italy on Saturday in the other semifinal.

    In the opener, Kokkinakis struck 11 aces, but Coric was able to break him once in each set.

    “On my serve, I felt like it was an ace or he put it back on my toes,” Kokkinakis said.

    Cilic, who was on the Croatia team that won the title in 2018, committed 10 double faults. That erratic serve helped De Minaur break Cilic four times and level his head-to-head record with the former U.S Open winner at two wins each.

    Thompson and Purcell bettered the more experienced pair of Mektic and Pavic, both ranked in the top 10 in doubles. Thompson and Purcell combined for 13 aces, broke the Croats twice, and never dropped a service game to come back after losing the first-set tiebreaker.

    Two-time winner Croatia was the runner-up last year.

    “It proved too difficult on the court today,” Cilic said. “(But) for us it has been a great year again after the finals last year to reach the semis.”

    The final is on Sunday on the indoor court in Málaga.

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    AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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