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DAVIS CUP GOLD: JANNIK SINNER REACTS TO ITALY SHARING REDUCED RICHES

Italy wins a third consecutive Davis Cup in Bologna, defeating Spain in the final. Despite the absence of Jannik Sinner, Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli stepped up to secure the victory for the home team in a dramatic match.

Davis Cup Gold:  Jannik Sinner Reacts to Italy Sharing Reduced Riches
Sinner Praises Italy's Davis Cup Squad Decision

Despite missing their star player, Jannik Sinner, Italy still managed to clinch the Davis Cup victory for the third year running. The event, held in Bologna, finished with celebrations for the home team.

With the shift of the Davis Cup Final 8 from Malaga, Spain, to Italy, organisers hoped for bigger crowds and more interest in the competition, which is facing challenges to stay relevant in the tennis calendar.

Sinner's absence from the competition and Carlos Alcaraz's injury withdrawal representing Spain meant the tournament missed having big stars to attract global attention.

In the end, it was a great Sunday for Italy's Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli. They stepped up from Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti to win the Davis Cup for Italy.

Cabolli said, It’s impossible to describe this feeling. I dreamed a lot for the night. I performed an amazing match today. I'm unsure how I won. The match was tough. Jaume played so well. We cannot lose for our country. Sometimes you learn, but you never lose. If you give all you have in your heart… I don’t know what I did today. I don’t know where I am. The only thing I know is that I’m a world champion.”

He added, “I think Jaume played very well in the first set. I was a bit nervous. I was shaking a little. At the end, I looked at my bench, and I found something in my heart. I gave everything for this team. It was a great thing. Like I said before, I’m a world champion.

The captain of Italy's Davis Cup team, Filippo Volandri, said, “It’s the third one in a row, but I’m crying, and I wasn't moved to tears for the first one. It’s something unbelievable. We had a lot of tough moments, even if it doesn’t look like it, but we had them. But as a group, as I said, we had the power to manage these moments. We also felt the players that were not here, but it was like they were here, like Jannik, like [Matteo] Arnaldi, like Musetti. It’s a big, big team, and only if you have a big team can you reach this unbelievable result; it’s incredible. Thank you, time to enjoy.”

Sinner quickly responded on Instagram, saying, Congratulations on this incredible victory.”

Davis Cup organisers probably wanted the final to be won by higher-ranked players than Berrettini (world No. 56) and Cobolli (world No. 22), who beat Pablo Carreno Busta (world No. 89) and Jaume Munar (world No. 36). Yet, Italian tennis fans celebrated another big event in their nation's golden age of tennis.

The Italian team will now receive $2 million in prize money, which is less than the $2,678,571 Sinner and his fellow players won last year.

The diminished Spain team will share $1,500,000 after reaching the Davis Cup Final. Alcaraz’s absence hurt their performance and their final prize money.

WHY ARYNA SABALENKA’S CLINICAL DEMOLITION OF MUCHOVA MAKES HER THE MELBOURNE FAVORITE

Aryna Sabalenka beats Muchova to reach her third straight Brisbane final. She faces giant-killer Marta Kostyuk for the 2026 title.

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Aryna Sabalenka cruises past Karolina Muchova to set up Kostyuk showdown

Aryna Sabalenka powered past Karolina Muchova in straight sets on Saturday, booking her spot in the Brisbane International final for the third year in a row—just a week out from the Australian Open.

Sabalenka looked sharp. Muchova, who’s had the upper hand in their last three matches and actually holds a winning record against the world number one, came in as a real threat. But Sabalenka didn’t care about history. She broke Muchova once in each set, kept her foot on the gas, and closed out the semifinal 6-3, 6-4 in 89 minutes. Now, she’ll face Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in Sunday’s final.

On the men’s side, Daniil Medvedev, the former world number one, gets unseeded American Brandon Nakashima in the final.

“I’ve struggled against her before,” Sabalenka said about Muchova. “But today, I stayed focused from the start, played some great tennis, put her under pressure, and I’m happy to get it done in straight sets.”

The 27-year-old from Belarus feels her game is clicking more with every match in Brisbane—she hasn’t dropped a set yet. With seven of the world’s top ten in the draw, she says this is perfect prep for Melbourne, where the Australian Open starts January 18. Sabalenka’s eyeing her third Australian Open title in four years.

“Honestly, compared to my first match here, I can feel my level going up,” she said. “That’s huge before Melbourne. It’s about building form, playing tough matches, and getting ready for what’s next. I’m really happy with how it’s going and can’t wait for the final.”

Kostyuk, ranked 26th, absolutely steamrolled world number six Jessica Pegula, 6-0, 6-3, in just 55 minutes—a masterclass in power and aggression. That’s three top-ten wins in a row for her. Before Pegula, she took out world number three Amanda Anisimova in the third round, then ninth-ranked Mirra Andreeva in the quarters.

“Today was just one of those days where everything goes right,” Kostyuk said, grinning. “Honestly, I haven’t had many matches like this, especially against top-10 players. It’s a huge bonus, especially in these tough Brisbane conditions—hot and humid.”

Kostyuk has never beaten Sabalenka in four tries, but she’s not feeling the pressure.

“All the pressure’s on her. I just want to go out, play well, and give the crowd a good show,” she said. “I’ve got nothing to lose.”

In the men’s semifinals, Medvedev beat American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-2, and Nakashima knocked out another American, Aleksandar Kovacevic, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.

FOUR IN A ROW? THE RECORD-BREAKING STAT COCO GAUFF JUST SET AGAINST IGA SWIATEK

Coco Gauff dominates Iga Swiatek at the United Cup. Poland advances to the final as Swiatek opts for private Australian Open prep.

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Coco Gauff stuns Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-2 to keep USA hopes alive

Coco Gauff handed Iga Swiatek a tough loss in the United Cup semi-final, stopping Swiatek’s unbeaten run at the tournament. Gauff took control early and never really let go, winning 6-4, 6-2. That win kept the United States alive after Taylor Fritz lost to Hubert Hurkacz in the first match.

Swiatek hadn’t dropped a singles match at the United Cup before running into Gauff, who now has Swiatek’s number—four straight wins. After the match, Swiatek went online to share how she felt about her first loss of the season.

Even with Swiatek losing, Poland still clinched a spot in the final thanks to Katarzyna Kawa and Jan Zieliński, who beat Gauff and Christian Harrison in doubles. Next up for Poland: a showdown with Switzerland. Swiatek is set to face Belinda Bencic in singles.

On Instagram, Swiatek admitted the loss stung but tried to keep things positive. “Challenging day for me today, but some important lessons to be learned. I’m super grateful for my team and their passion,” she wrote. She also praised her teammates for fighting through and getting Poland to the final: “What a fight tonight! See you in the final tomorrow with another chance.”

Before Gauff stopped her, Swiatek had beaten Eva Lys, Maya Jantchou, and Suzan Lamens in singles at the United Cup.

So, what’s next for Swiatek before the Australian Open? There’s a week between the United Cup and the start of the tournament, but she’s not playing any warm-up events. While other top players are heading to Adelaide or Hobart, Swiatek has decided to train in private instead.

She’s made it clear before that she isn’t a fan of the crowded WTA schedule and doesn’t mind taking a sanction if it means skipping some tournaments. So, it’s not really shocking she’s sitting out before Melbourne.

Historically, the Australian Open hasn’t been her best Grand Slam—she’s never won it, and her deepest run was the semi-finals. The last time she got that far, Madison Keys knocked her out before going on to win the whole thing in 2025. Now, Swiatek’s looking for another shot at the title that’s eluded her.

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