Jannik Sinner delighted to finish 'amazing' season with Davis Cup win for Italy - 'Means so much'
Updated 24/11/2024 at 22:19 GMT
Jannik Sinner capped off his superb season by leading Italy to victory at the Davis Cup. Sinner beat Tallon Griekspoor in straight sets to secure the win for defending champions Italy. Sinner said it was a "very important competition" for him, and Italy "handled it really well" in the final, while also admitting he is "heartbroken" over the WADA doping appeal against him.
Highlights: Sinner guides Italy to Davis Cup glory against Netherlands
Video credit: SNTV
Jannik Sinner said it "means so much" to lead Italy to back-to-back Davis Cup titles to cap off an "amazing year".
World No. 1 Sinner clinched a 2-0 win for Italy over the Netherlands in the final as he beat Tallon Griekspoor in straight sets.
Victory capped off a memorable year for Sinner, who also won two Grand Slam titles and the Nitto ATP Finals.
He finished it with a 73-6 win-loss record.
"It's a very important competition for the whole of Italy," he said.
"You have different pressure and different weight of having Italy on your shoulders. But I think we all handled it really, really well. If it wouldn't be important, I wouldn't be here.
"For me it means so much to me because last year Matteo [Berrettini] was not here as a player but he supported us which gave us a lot of strength and this year [it's great] sharing this moment especially with this group."
Sinner saved the only two break points in the opening set against Griekspoor before taking it in a tie-breaker.
He then broke three times to win the second set and seal the win after Matteo Berrettini had earlier beaten Botic van de Zandschulp.
"It has been an amazing year. I’m very proud of the whole team," said Sinner.
"There is a lot of work behind it and I’m very happy to hold this trophy again. It was a very difficult day today, because anything can happen."
This time last year Berrettini was cheering on Italy from the sidelines as he recovered from an ankle injury.
But he played an important role in Italy’s title defence, teaming up with Sinner in the doubles decider against Argentina and then winning his singles matches against Australia and Netherlands.
"I’m just so happy. Obviously last year I was here to support the team, and this year I brought some points to the cause," said Berrettini.
"But it doesn’t matter who is playing, we always put our heart on the court. Everybody is giving their best, that is the secret to our team.
"Also the guys who are back home, Flavio Cobolli, Matteo Arnaldi, they won some matches in the previous stage that were really important. It’s a really big team and I’m very happy with the trophy."
Italy are the first nation since Czech Republic in 2013 to defend the Davis Cup.
The win comes just a few days after Jasmine Paolini helped Italy win the Billie Jean King Cup.
Sinner 'heartbroken' over doping case
While Sinner’s 2024 season was nearly perfect on the court, he does head into the new year with an appeal in his doping case unresolved.
The world No. 1 was cleared of wrongdoing by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after testing positive for clostebol earlier this year.
However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) launched an appeal against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and have called for the Italian to be suspended for one to two years.
"Of course it's in the head a little bit," Sinner is quoted as saying by France24 about the allegations.
"The most important part is all the people who are around me, who know me as a human being trust me - that's also why I kept playing the level I have.
"Those who know me, I was emotionally a bit down, a bit heartbroken. Sometimes life gives you difficulties and you just have to (deal with) it."
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