How Italy Celebrated Their Davis Cup Win
Flavio Cobolli said he found strength “in his heart” after looking over at the Italian bench during his crucial match — and that support helped him complete his dream of becoming a world champion.
The 23-year-old produced an incredible comeback to beat Spain’s Jaume Munar after being a set and a break down, securing Italy’s third straight Davis Cup title. The home crowd in Bologna erupted as Cobolli won 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5. His victory came after Matteo Berrettini’s solid 6-3, 6-4 win over Pablo Carreno Busta.
It was a perfect moment for the pair, whose friendship dates back many years. Berrettini once trained with Cobolli’s father and even babysat a young Flavio, often keeping him busy by playing tennis with him. A video from 2011 shows Berrettini, then a teenager, walking off court with a much smaller Cobolli.
Fourteen years later, they walked off the court again — this time as Davis Cup champions.
Cobolli was almost lost for words:
“It’s impossible to describe this feeling. I dreamed about this night. The only thing I know is that I am a world champion.”
A Team Built on Brotherhood
This is Italy’s fourth Davis Cup win overall and their third in a row — something no team has achieved since 1972.
Both Italy and Spain were missing top players. World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz was out for Spain, while Italy played without Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti. But Cobolli and Berrettini stepped up brilliantly, winning all three of their singles matches.
The 10,000 Italian fans inside the arena shouted Cobolli’s name as he served out the final game to love. After a slow start, he refused to give in, fighting through tired legs and nerves from his long semi-final match two days earlier.
Cobolli said the team tried to copy the spirit of Italy’s 2006 World Cup winners:
“Our amazing fans are part of the team. It’s the best day of my life.”
Berrettini, who extended his Davis Cup winning streak to 11 matches earlier in the day, has supported Cobolli for years. When Cobolli struggled for form this season, Berrettini advised him to skip smaller tournaments and return to training. Cobolli followed the advice and went on to win the ATP event in Hamburg.
Berrettini said:
“It’s crazy we are now in the same team. It gives me chills.”
Cobolli added:
“Matteo is like a brother. He helped me so much — during the match and in life.”
Italy celebrated together on court, lifting the Davis Cup trophy as the fans roared around them, marking another unforgettable chapter in their tennis history.
