The draw, held in Bologna on 19/9, placed Italy against Austria in the quarterfinals. With a superior team, including two top-10 players, Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti, Italy is expected to advance comfortably. Austria previously upset seeded Canada in the first round and then defeated Hungary in the second. However, they lack a player who can truly challenge the Italians. Their highest-ranked player, Filip Misolic, is only 92nd in the world.

Sinner (right) congratulates Alcaraz after the 2025 US Open final at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York earlier this month. Photo: Reuters

Sinner (right) congratulates Alcaraz after the 2025 US Open final at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York earlier this month. Photo: Reuters

Italy has won the Davis Cup for the past two years, both times in Malaga. This year, the tournament is held in Bologna, giving Sinner and his teammates home-court advantage. Their likely semifinal opponent is France, who will face Belgium in the other quarterfinal of the top bracket. France boasts players like Ugo Humbert, Arthur Fils, Arthur Rinderknech, and Adrian Mannarino. Their doubles team of Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Nicolas Mahut is also highly regarded. France also has reserve players such as Gael Monfils, Arthur Cazaux, and Alexander Muller.

In the bottom bracket, Spain is not a clear favorite to reach the final despite having the world's number one player. Alcaraz and his team will first play the Czech Republic, a team with strong players like Jiri Lehecka, Tomas Machac, and Jakub Mensik. The Czech Republic's doubles players, Adam Pavlasek and Maxim Mrva, are also among the world's best.

Besides Alcaraz, Spain only has Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the top 20. Jaume Munar has recently improved and is currently ranked 37th. Veteran Roberto Bautista-Agut has dropped to 48th, while Pedro Martinez (67th) is the only other Spanish player in the top 100. In doubles, Spain has relied on Marcel Granollers, currently ranked 6th in the world, for many years. However, their biggest challenge is finding a consistently successful partner for Granollers.

Spain's thin roster raises doubts about their chances of advancing, even though Alcaraz is expected to win all his singles matches. Last year, despite Alcaraz winning his singles match, Spain lost 2-1 to the Netherlands. Rafael Nadal lost to Botic van de Zandschulp, and Alcaraz and Granollers lost the doubles match.

Another strong contender in the bottom bracket is Germany, with talented players like Alexander Zverev, Daniel Altmaier, Jan-Lennard Struff, Yannick Hanfmann, and one of the world's best doubles pairs, Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz. Germany's first challenge in the finals will be Argentina, a team not known for its indoor hard-court prowess, but boasting two skilled players in Francisco Cerundolo and Horacio Zeballos.

The eight teams in the Davis Cup Finals will compete from 18-23/11, playing two singles matches and one doubles match.

Vy Anh