Davis Cup Australia qualifies for final

(Málaga) Australia, thanks to Alex De Minaur and Alexei Popyrin, winners of the Finns Emil Ruusuvuori and Otto Virtanen, qualified for the Davis Cup final, Friday in Malaga, where it will challenge Serbia of Novak Djokovic or Jannik Sinner’s Italy.

As regulars, the Australians will compete in the 49^e final in their history in this event which they have won 28 times, four coronations fewer than the United States. Last year, already in Andalusia, they fell on the last step against Canada.

“It’s not too bad to reach another final. For us, this cup is a priority, we do everything we can to represent Australia, with pride and passion,” commented De Minaur.

After coming close to elimination in the previous round against the Czech Republic in the previous round (2-1), Australia was more authoritarian against Finland, who had eliminated the Canadians, defending champions, in the quarter-final .

The decisive point was brought from the second single by Alex De Minaur (12^e world), who enforced the logic of the ATP rankings, winning 6-4, 6-3 at the expense of Emil Ruusuvuori (69^e).

The latter, however, entered the game better by breaking from the start. A short-lived advantage, because the Australian, raising his level and pace, played five games in a row. Ruusuvuori managed to regain the opponent’s service once, but was unable to avoid losing the first set.

Djokovic or Sinner?

During the second round, De Minaur took the lead again by breaking at 3^e game, without ever being worried about his commitment. He even finished with a double break on his first match point, in 1 hour 35 minutes.

Earlier in the afternoon, Alexei Popyrin (40^e world) had barely fought harder to defeat 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 Otto Virtanen (171^e).

The latter could blame himself for having failed to convert his only break point, which was also a set point on an opponent’s service, at 6-5. Whereupon, embroiled in a decisive game, he could not prevent Popyrin from seizing the opportunity to pocket the first round.

In the second set, Popyrin broke at 3-2, scoring two superb points in a row in this game, breaking this match from a certain monotony, and won in 1 hour 30 minutes.

Australia, whose last title in the competition dates back to 2003, will have a lot to do in the final, because the rival that will stand in their way will be of another caliber, whether it is the Serbia of world No.1 Novak Djokovic where the Italy of world No.4 Jannik Sinner.

The two players in great form at the end of the season will meet a third time in the space of ten days: at the ATP Masters in Turin, the Serbian easily dominated the Italian in the final (6-3, 6-3) , after the latter had beaten him in a group match 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/2).

Djokovic dreams of offering his country a second coronation after that won in 2010 against France. The Azzurri also covet a second title, after a long wait of 47 years.