When Italy plays in Davis Cup: history with Belgium

Trophy-holder Italy will play against Belgium in the first of two Davis Cup Final Eight semifinals at the SuperTennis Arena in BolognaFiere. On the indoor concrete court of the arena in the Emilia capital, the Azzurri led by Filippo Volandri will seek against Belgium their third consecutive final after the 2023 and 2024 triumphs, both in Malaga, the first against Australia and the second against the Netherlands.

The challenge will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday 21. The Belgian team consists of Zizou Bergs, Raphael Collignon, Alexander Blockx, Sander Gille, and Joran Vliegen; the captain is Steve Darcis. The Italian nationals are Flavio Cobolli, Matteo Berrettini, Lorenzo Sonego, Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.

The previous direct confrontations have been ten and Italy has won six: 3-2 in the 1950 European Zone quarterfinals, 3-1 in the 1952 European Final, 4-1, 3-2 and 4-1 in the European Zone round of 16 in 1959, 1961 and 1969.

The Belgians won 3-2 in the 1953 European semifinal and 1957 European final, 4-1 the playoff to stay in the world group in 2000, and 3-2 in the quarterfinals of the world group in 2017.

Finally, on Sept. 13 last year, in the round robin at the Unipol Arena in Bologna, the Azzurri won 2-1: Berrettini beat Blockx 3-6 6-2 7-5, Cobolli lost to Bergs 6-3 6-7 6-0. Bolelli and Vavassori folded 7-6 7-5 in the doubles Gille and Vliegen.