Berrettini made perfect start for Italy against Croatia

• France-Germany Group C draw moves into doubles rubber play-off in Hamburg

Lorenzo Musetti and Matteo Berrettini got off to a perfect start to Italy’s Davis Cup group stage campaign yesterday with a win over Croatia in Bologna.
The 20-year-old Musetti beat Borna Gojo 6-4, 6-2 in the first rubber of the Group A best-three.
Former Wimbledon runner-up Berrettini had to fight back from a set down with Cincinnati Masters champion Borna Coric but won 6-7 (4/7) 6-2 6-1.
Simone Borelli and Fabio Fognini will face Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavić in the final doubles match.
Italy will likely win the Davis Cup title for the second time since 1976. Top Italian player Jannik Sinner could be ready to face Argentina tomorrow.
Elsewhere yesterday, the Group C tie between France and Germany went to the deciding doubles rubber in Hamburg.
After Jan-Leonard Struff beat Benjamin Bonzi 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 to give the home side the lead, Adrian Manarino equalized with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Oscar Otte.
Also yesterday, Alberto Ramos-Vinolas survived a bruised match against Laszlo Geré to win 2-6 7-6(5) 7-5 in 2 hours 54 minutes to lead Spain to the first Group B draw. Did. 2022 Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals.
The Serbs got off to a much brighter start. A vociferous crowd wanted Ramos-Vinolas in the first set, but he failed to make an impact on the scoreboard. Despite achieving his 81% of his first serve, Ramos was only able to hold once in his first three serves in his game. Jere, on the other hand, was nearly perfect.
The Serb took just 33 minutes to win the first set after Ramos Vinolas nailed a routine backhand.
Aside from the appearance of Spanish tennis newcomer Carlos Alcaraz during the pre-match national anthem, there wasn’t much cheering from the near-packed crowd in Valencia, but when Ramos finally entered, the roof fell. I went up. 2nd set 2nd game.
It wasn’t easy either. The Spaniard needed three break points to take his 2-0 lead, but the joy was short-lived. Dejere quickly turned back and quieted the home fans. Fans at home started chanting “Espana!” just moments ago.
The long game dominated the remainder of the second set, with rallies regularly extending over 15 or 20 shots as both players refused to budge. When down 15-40 in the seventh game of the second set, Ramos leveled up and saved two break points to take a 4-3 lead. “He made mistakes when he was trying to defend, but little by little, with the help of the crowd and the captain, he started to play better,” said Ramos Vinolas. Hour marks and tie-breaks seemed inevitable.
Ramos-Vinolas got lucky thanks to an early netcode at the breaker, but played a beautiful forehand down the line-winner’s downline to give two set points at 6-4. The Spaniard eventually won the second set after Degere threw a forehand off the mark as his clock approached his second hour of the match. Djere had more disappointments. The Serb bounced back from the tiebreak to take a 3–0 lead, but Ramos came back after appearing to twist his left hamstring in the fifth game.
Despite his movement being visibly hampered, Degere fought to the end, taking risks to keep points short and pulling out big first serves when needed. and he backed it up by serving those who loved the match.