Italy successfully retained their Davis Cup title with a comprehensive 2-0 triumph over the Netherlands in Sunday's final in Malaga.
Concluding a tournament headlined by the retirement of 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal, who played his final match with Spain in their loss to the Netherlands, Italy avenged the fallen legend by denying them a maiden Davis Cup honour.
Matteo Berrettini was first up for the defending champions and kicked off proceedings with a 6-4 6-2 triumph over Botic van de Zandschulp, leaving Sinner capable of completing the job against Tallon Griekspoor.
The world number one clinched the title for Italy last year against Australia's Alex de Minaur, and he shouldered the weight of expectation brilliantly, overcoming Griekspoor 7-6[2] 6-2 to seal international glory for the Italians.
Italy's successes in 2023 and 2024 means that they have now become just the third nation to win back-to-back Davis Cups since the turn of the millennium, following in the footsteps of Spain (2008, 2009) and the Czech Republic (2012, 2013).
The men's success in the Davis Cup also follows the Italian women winning the Billie Jean King Cup, meaning that they are also only the third country to clinch both titles in the last three decades after the Czech Republic in 2012 and Russia in 2021.
How did Berrettini, Sinner clinch Davis Cup glory for Italy?
Campioni!!! 🇮🇹💙🏆
— Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) November 24, 2024
📸: ITF - #DavisCupFinals pic.twitter.com/YoxKRPYZgy
Berrettini had to dig incredibly deep for a three-set win over Thanasi Kokkinakis in the semis against Australia, but the 28-year-old produced a serving masterclass to ensure that Van de Zandschulp would not have a sniff on Sunday.
Berrettini fired 16 aces past his Dutch foe, who did not manage to bring up a single break point all afternoon, and the Italian also converted three of the four break opportunities he fashioned in a comfortable opening win.
Sinner found himself under the cosh a bit more frequently against Griekspoor, but the latter would be made to pay for wasting two chances to break the world number one in an incredibly tight first set, which Sinner only edged in the tie-breaker.
The pair then traded breaks in the third and fourth games of the second set, but Sinner soon found a sixth gear and reeled off a four-game winning sequence to retain the trophy for Italy, even if he did miss three match points before converting number four.
Sinner's victory also meant that Wesley Koolhof did not take to the court for what would have been the final time in his career; the Dutch former world number one in doubles has also retired following the conclusion of the Davis Cup.
However, Sinner is only just getting started, and the world number one has achieved a collective feat that no man has ever achieved before in the Open Era - winning two Grand Slams, the ATP Finals and Davis Cup in one season.
In addition, the 23-year-old has become just the third player male or female to go through a single year without losing a match in straight sets in the Open Era, after 2005 Roger Federer and 2013 Serena Williams.
