Davis Cup tips and predictions: Italy have the quality to win in Malaga

Finland’s Davis Cup journey this year has been absolutely wild.

They were the big story of September’s group phase when they defied the odds and tennis logic to finish above Croatia and USA and qualify for the last eight. 

However, on Tuesday they beat defending champions Canada – and did so without Finnish number one Emil Ruusuvuori who was missing through injury – to reach the semis for the first time in their history amid raucous scenes indoors in Malaga.

If you feel this Cinderella story can run and run, then Finland are 14/1 shots currently to win the Davis Cup with Planet Sport Bet.

Australia await them in the last four, with the Green and Gold snatching victory from the jaws of defeat themselves earlier this week to beat Czechia 2-1 and reach the semi-finals of the Davis Cup for the second straight year.

Alex de Minaur was their hero, with the Aussie No 1 battling back from 6-4 5-3 in the second singles match to somehow beat Jiri Lehecka in three sets.

It all means the Aussies will play Finland in Friday’s semi-final, a clash pitting the 28-time champions against a team already re-writing history by making it this far.

Serbia face Great Britain on Thursday afternoon for a place in the last four. They remain 13/8 favourites to lift the Davis Cup this week and the main reason for that is the presence of one man, the inimitable Novak Djokovic.

Given how well he has been playing in the last six months, Djokovic looks an absolute lock against anyone in singles action.

However, Serbia are in a stacked bottom half of the draw – the winners of their tie with GB will face either Italy or the Netherlands in the other semi.

The semis are played across Friday and Saturday with the winners crowned after Sunday’s final.

 

 

Conditions have been described as fast and for this reason I feel Italy might still be worth a little peanut play at 5/1. 

These days, the Davis Cup format is pretty fast and furious.

Each tie is made up of two singles matches followed by the potentially decisive doubles (so it’s best of three rather than the old best of five format with four singles rubbers and a doubles match). 

Basically, one upset result in a tie can make all the difference and Italy have got some real quality.

World No 4 Jannik Sinner is the big star of course, but Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Arnaldi, Lorenzo Sonego and even Simone Bolelli are all capable campaigners.

Sinner was fantastic at the recent ATP Finals, where he beat Djokovic in the group stage – his first ever victory over the GOAT - before losing to the Serb in the final.

Musetti always brings his A-game when playing for the Azzurri and Sonego is no slouch indoors.

However if Italy are to get the job done all will rest on the shoulders of Sinner. Like Maximus, he gives the crowd what they want with ruthless efficiency and they love him for it.

Are you not entertained?

Top tip: Italy to win the Davis Cup at 5/1 (Planet Sport Bet)