Sinner & Berrettini lead Italy into Davis Cup final

Matteo Berrettini (right) missed Italy's Davis Cup victory last year with injury

Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini led defending champions Italy into the Davis Cup final with a 2-0 victory over Australia.

Sinner, the world number one and two-time Grand Slam champion, continued his dominant year with a 6-3 6-4 win over Alex de Minaur.

That came after compatriot Berrettini fought back to overcome Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 7-5 in an entertaining first singles match.

Italy will face the Netherlands on Sunday in a tie that will be streamed live on the BBC Sport website and app.

Italy's women triumphed in the Billie Jean King Cup tournament earlier in the week.

Both Sinner and Berrettini were supported by a noisy partisan crowd in Malaga.

"It feels like Italy, it is unbelievable," Berrettini said afterwards. "I love this atmosphere, I love playing Davis Cup and I cannot wait to play many more matches."

Sinner's victory over De Minaur was perhaps not surprising - he had won all eight of their previous meetings, including a 6-3 6-0 thrashing in last year's Davis Cup showpiece.

The Italian was dominant in the first set, using all of his easy power to hustle past De Minaur and put his side within touching distance of the final.

The second set was more competitive but De Minaur, serving to stay in touch at 4-4, blinked first, and Sinner promptly served out the match to the delight of the crowd.

Sinner has now won the past 24 sets he has played on the ATP Tour, having not lost one since the second round of the Shanghai Masters in early October.

"I had one of the best feelings ever last year winning the Davis Cup," said Sinner, who won the Australian and US Opens this year. "We're happy to be back in the final."

Berrettini could have made his own match easier had he taken his chances in the first set against Kokkinakis.

The big-hitting Italian served for the set with a 6-5 lead and had a set point but a wonky forehand forced him into a tie-break.

Berrettini again had two set points in the breaker but could not convert, with Kokkinakis rewarded for his hard work as he clinched the first set.

Kokkinakis had break points early in the second set but Berrettini stood firm, firing down three huge serves to hold and capitalising on some nerves from his opponent to force a decider.

The third set was again a tight affair before a superb dinked forehand from Berrettini at 5-5 on the Kokkinakis serve shifted the momentum.

Two errors from Kokkinakis handed the crucial break to Berrettini, who served out victory to give his side the perfect start.