Sinner leads Italy to Davis Cup glory

On Sunday, inspired Italian Jannik Sinner completed a perfect week by clinching his country's first Davis Cup title in nearly 50 years, thrashing Australia's Alex De Minaur to complete a 2-0 victory for the Azzurri.

Sinner, Italy's number one, outclassed a helpless De Minaur 6-3 6-0 after Matteo Arnaldi beat Alexei Popyrin in the first singles match.

Sinner, the world number four, finished the week with five wins in five matches, including a heroic performance in Saturday's semi-final against Novak Djokovic that kept his country alive against Serbia after saving three consecutive match points.

He then beat Djokovic and the Serbian's partner Miomir Kecmanovic in the doubles with teammate Lorenzo Sonego to send Italy to the final against 28-time champions Australia, and Sinner delivered the title in style 24 hours later.

The Italian dominated from the moment he broke serve early in the first set, hitting the ball with relentless power from the baseline, and there was nothing De Minaur could do.

Sinner's purple streak lasted until he won the game on his third match point, igniting celebrations among teammates, officials, and a boisterous Italian contingent inside the Malaga arena that hosted the week's thrilling Final Eight.

"It helps a lot to play for the whole team, and it's been an incredible feeling for all of us," Sinner said as Italy celebrated its first Davis Cup title since 1976, and only the country's second ever.

SportsLigue