Davis Cup, Netherlands first finalist
Holland in the final against the winner of Italy-Australia
For the first time in its history, the Netherlands is in the Davis Cup final: certifying the result was Tallon Griekspoor, who on Friday evening defeated Jan-Lennard Struff in three sets after, a couple of hours earlier, Botic van de Zandschulp had beaten Daniel Altmaier, also in three game fractions.
It certainly wasn't a walk in the park, then, for Griekspoor, who came back from a one-set disadvantage to avoid the doubles that would have been played in the event of Struff winning: 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-4 was the final score in favor of the man who, by the way, had beaten Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinal against host Spain.
Van de Zandschulp (who, on the other hand, will go down in history as Rafa Nadal's last opponent in official matches, barring resounding second thoughts from the Mallorcan) instead beat Altmaier 6-4, 6-7(12), 6-3 in a veritable marathon by the standards of three-set matches, which lasted a full two hours and three quarters.
The Dutch will have the advantage of the extra day of rest over the other finalist, who will come out at the end of the day of matches scheduled between Italy and Australia on Saturday.
The one between the Azzurri and the Aussies è a rematch of the 2023 final, with Jannik Sinner signing the decisive point against Alex de Minaur to bring the Salad Bowl back to the Bel Paese after 47 years.
