PARIS: Germany and Italy on Friday locked up places in the Davis Cup last eight, while Britain and France were eliminated and US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz made a losing return to the court.

In Bologna, Matteo Berrettini crushed Argentine Sebastian Baez 6-2, 6-3 in 71 minutes and then Jannik Sinner beat Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 1-6, 6-3to give Italy a winning 2-0 lead in the tie and their second victory in the week ensured they would be in the top two places in Group ‘A’.

Sweden and Croatia are vying for the other spot, having picked up one win each.

Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini then lost the doubles to Maximo Gonzalez and Horacio Zeballos in three sets.

In Hamburg, Kevin Kraweitz and Tim Puetz gave the hosts a 2-1 victory when they beat Belgian pair Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) in the deciding doubles.

“Nights like this live long in the memory,” said captain Michael Kohlmann after seeing his players seal Germany’s spot in the last eight from Group ‘C’ alongside Australia.

Jan-Lennard Struff had given Germany a winning start by beating Zizou Bergs 6-4 7-6 (11-9) but David Goffin fought back from a set down to overcome Oscar Otte 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-3.

Germany’s victory eliminated France who had lost their opening two ties in the group.

Playing in his home city of Glasgow and in his 50th Davis Cup rubber, Andy Murray could not conjure any magic as he and Joe Salisbury lost a tight doubles decider to Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop The Dutch pair won 7-6 (7-0), 6-7 (6-8), 6-3to join the United States in the quarter-finals with two victories in two ties in Group ‘D’.

“It just sucks, because these matches have come down to a few points and they’ve not gone our way,” Murray said. “I have been fortunate to play a lot of these matches over the years, and, come through them. That hasn’t happened this time around, and I feel sad about that, because... I think we had the possibility to have a really good run here.”

Dan Evans had given the hosts the lead by beating Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 6-4. Botic Van De Zandschulp responded by crushing world number eight Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-2.

In Valencia, Alcaraz, the youngest ever men’s world number one at 19 after his US Open triumph, had a bittersweet homecoming as he lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-2 in his country’s Group ‘B’ loss to Canada.

Given an ovation by the home fans after his first Grand Slam conquest on Sunday, the Spaniard and his Canadian opponent played out a thrilling second singles rubber, with Canada levelling the tie at 1-1.

Alcaraz, from nearby Murcia, had watched from the sidelines on Wednesday as Spain beat Serbia 3-0.

On Friday, after the players had split two fiercely-fought sets, Alcaraz faded, perhaps unsurprisingly after his marathon matches in New York.

World number 13 Auger-Aliassime broke straight away and then again to go 4-1 ahead, holding off the Spaniard despite strong encouragement from the crowd.

“I didn’t arrive in very good physical condition. Very, very tough. The court is very slow. I had just two days to adapt my game to this court. It was really tough day,” Alcaraz said.

Roberto Bautista had put Spain 1-0 up in the tie after coming from behind to beat Vasek Pospisil 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Pospisil and Auger-Aliassime rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 doubles win over Marcel Granollers-Pujol and Pedro Martinez Portero to move Canada to the top of the group and within sight of advancing to the knockout stages in Malaga from Nov. 22-27.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2022