Italy secured their place in history on Sunday by defeating Spain 2-0 in Bologna to win the Davis Cup for the third consecutive year. The victory marks the first time a nation has achieved a hat-trick of titles since the competition's format changed in 1972.
Despite missing their top-ranked player Jannik Sinner, the Italian team, led by captain Filippo Volandri, relied on the exceptional performances of Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli to overcome a spirited Spanish side that was also without its star, Carlos Alcaraz.
The tie began with Berrettini delivering a driven performance against Pablo Carreno Busta. Feeding off the energy of the home crowd, the former Wimbledon runner-up broke his opponent once in each set to secure a 6-3, 6-4 victory in just over an hour.
Berrettini’s serve was a potent weapon throughout, as he fired 13 aces and extended his Davis Cup singles winning streak to 11 matches. His win set the stage for Cobolli to seal the championship in the second rubber without needing a deciding doubles match.
Cobolli’s match against Jaume Munar proved to be a dramatic affair. The Spaniard dominated early, taking the first set 6-1 and breaking Cobolli’s serve at the start of the second. However, the 23-year-old Italian mounted a resilient comeback, breaking back immediately and forcing a tiebreak, which he won to level the match.
In a tense deciding set, Cobolli secured a crucial break in the 11th game before serving out the match to love, completing a 1-6, 7-6(5), 7-5 victory that sent the Bologna crowd into raptures.
Following the triumph, an emotional Volandri praised the unity and depth of his squad. "It’s the third consecutive one. I’m crying. It’s unbelievable. This is a big, big team," he said, acknowledging the contributions of absent players like Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti.
Cobolli, who described the win as the "best day of his life," highlighted the special bond with Berrettini, whom he referred to as a brother figure who had mentored him since childhood.
The victory sparked celebrations across Italy, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni commending the team’s "determination, talent and heart" on social media. For Spain, the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow in a closely contested tie, as captain David Ferrer admitted that Italy played better in the decisive moments.