The 2025 Davis Cup Final Eight, set for November in Bologna, Italy, will feature a host of top European nations after a dramatic qualifying weekend. Belgium stunned Australia in Sydney, Spain battled back to edge Denmark, and Czechia knocked out the United States in Florida. Here’s a full look back at the action.
Some of the weekend’s most compelling ties spanned three continents. In Sydney, Australia entered as favorites, but a cramping Raphael Collignon pulled off a heroic performance, winning both his singles matches to put Belgium through 3-2. Collignon stunned the top Australian player Alex de Minaur in three sets in the opener, and Zizou Bergs followed with an inspiring victory over Jordan Thompson. Australia struck back with Rinky Hijikata and Thompson in doubles, and de Minaur leveled the tie by beating Bergs. That left everything on Collignon, who rallied past Aleksandar Vukic 6-7(5) 6-2 6-3 in a memorable decider.
In Delray Beach, Jiri Lehecka carried Czechia with two singles victories, easing past Frances Tiafoe in the first rubber and then upsetting Taylor Fritz in the fourth. Jakub Mensik sealed the tie in the fifth with a 6-1 6-4 win over Tiafoe, avenging his earlier defeat to Fritz.
Czechia, with three top-30 singles players and Tomas Berdych as captain, look like dangerous dark horses, while Team USA once again saw Tiafoe struggle in this format.
In Spain, Denmark grabbed an early 2-0 lead as Holger Rune and Elmer Moeller both won singles matches. The Spaniards clawed back in doubles with Pedro Martinez and Jaume Munar, before Martinez shocked Rune in a third-set tiebreak. Pablo Carreno Busta then delivered in the decider, defeating Moeller to complete Spain’s comeback.
On hard courts, Argentina had little trouble with the Netherlands, securing a 3-1 win. Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Francisco Cerundolo claimed the first two singles rubbers before Andres Molteni and Horacio Zeballos clinched in doubles.
In Tokyo, Germany brushed aside Japan. Jan-Lennard Struff and Yannick Hanfmann won their singles matches, and Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz sealed the tie in doubles. Justin Engel added a dead-rubber victory for a 4-0 sweep.
France traveled to Croatia and dominated on clay. Corentin Moutet and Arthur Rinderknech gave France a 2-0 lead, and Moutet later beat Marin Cilic to wrap up the tie in the fourth rubber.
Austria edged rivals Hungary 3-2 in Hungary, with Jurij Rodionov the hero. Rodionov upset Fabian Marozsan in the opening match, before Lukas Neumayer shocked Marton Fucsovics in a third-set tiebreak. Hungary stormed back, winning doubles and Zsombor Piros, who hit a magic drop serve, defeating Neumayer.
It came down to Rodionov again, and he delivered emphatically, routing Fucsovics 6-2 6-1. With captain Jurgen Melzer at the helm, Austria are into the Final Eight.
In World Group 1, Great Britain began their climb back up the Davis Cup ladder with a 3-1 win in Poland. Cameron Norrie won both singles matches, and Arthur Fery added a clinching victory.
Elsewhere, Viktor Durasovic sent Norway past Taiwan 3-2, while Ignacio Buse upset Nuno Borges to lead Peru over Portugal 3-1 in Lima.
Leo Borg, son of Bjorn Borg, scored a decisive win as Sweden edged Tunisia 3-2. India stunned Switzerland 3-1 in Zurich, with Sumit Nagal taking both singles matches.
Brazil overcame host Greece 3-1, with rising star Joao Fonseca upsetting Stefanos Tsitsipas from 3-5 down in the final set. Slovakia handled Colombia 3-1, Hyeon Chung helped South Korea defeat Kazakhstan 3-1, and Bulgaria upset Finland 3-2 behind Alexander Vasilev’s win over Emil Ruusuvuori in the decider.
Canada swept Israel 4-0, led by top-50 player Gabriel Diallo. Serbia, with Miomir Kecmanovic and Hamad Medjedovic, cruised past Turkey 3-1.
Also in South America, Chile routed Luxembourg 3-0 behind Cristian Garin and Tomas Barrios Vera, while Ecuador and Bosnia battled to a fifth rubber, with Ecuador’s Alvaro Guillen Meza winning both singles matches.
A thrilling weekend of Davis Cup action sets up a dramatic final in Bologna this November, the Laver Cup showdown between Team Europe and Team World next weekend, and the rest of the ATP season perfectly.
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