World number 1 Carlos Alcaraz beat Sonwoo Kwon 6-4 7-6 (7-1) after 1 hour and 49 minutes to secure Spain the qualifying spot for the Davis Cup Final 8 stage in Malaga. Alcaraz saved all three break points he faced against Kwon.
Carlos Alcaraz: “I would like to win the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup and try to finish the season as World 1 Number 1. Now I have reached here. I want to stay as long as possible”.
In the first match on Sudany Roberto Bautista Agut cruised past Seong-Chan Hong 6-1 6-3 in 73 minutes. Bautista Agut was the only player to win three matches for the Spanish team.
Spain will face Croatia in the quarter finals. Croatia reached the knock-ut stage after beating Argentina and Sweden in Bologna. This year’s Cincinnati champion Borna Coric scored wins over Mikael Ymer and Manuel Cerundolo.
Italy beat Sweden 2-1 to finish first in Group A in Bologna. Last year’s Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini beat Elias Ymer 6-4 6-4 to earn Italy a 1-0 lead.
Mikael Ymer battled past Jannik Sinner 6-4 3-6 6-3 to keep Swedish hopes alive, but Fabio Fognini and Simone Bolelli beat Andre Goransson and Dragos Nicolae Madaras 7-6 (7-1) 6-2 in the decisive doubles match. Italy took first place in Group A, while Sweden finished third missing out on the qualifying spot. Sweden’s defeat against Italy means that Croatia got through to the final 8 as second after beating Argentina 3-0. Italy will face the USA in the quarter finals next November.
Italy will be one of the teams to beat in the Final 8 in Malaga. Berrettini scored three Davis Cup last week.
The USA reached the knock-out stage with wins over Great Britain and Kazakhstan in Glasgow, but they lost to the Netherlands. The Dutch team finished first in Group B ahead of Great Britain.
Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz sercured Germany first spot in Group B with a 3-0 record. Krawietz and Puetz edged Mathew Ebden and Max Purcell 6-4 6-4 to earn Germany a 2-1 lead over Australia.
Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff defeated Purcell 6-1 7-5 before Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis edged past Oscar Otte 7-6 (8-6) 6-1. Germany will face Canada in the quarter finals next November. Germany finished top In Group C after winning all three ties in Hamburg. Canada qualified to the Final 8 after beating Spain. Auger Aliassime beat US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz. The Canadian team beat Spain in the doubles match.
Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski saved all four break points in their 7-6 (7-2) 6-7 (9-11) 7-6 (7-4) win to earn a 2-1 win over Kazakhstan. Former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray Dmitry Popko 6-4 6-3 in the first singles match. Alexander Bublik drew level to 1-1 with a 6-4 6-3 win over Cameron Norrie. Dutchman Botic Van de Zandschulp won all of three of his singles matches, including victories over Cameron Norrie and and Taylor Fritz. The Netherlands will face Australia, who beat Belgium and France during the Group Stage.
