By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, November 20, 2025Photo credit score: Davis Cup Fb
The court-side clock previous 1 a.m. when Germany lastly noticed the successful mild.
Tim Puetz pounded a forehand down the road that lashed off the baseline changing Germany’s fifth match level to finish a completely wild 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(10) overcome Argentina’s Andres Molteni and Horacio Zeballos that sealed Germany’s 2-1 Davis Cup win over Argentina.
Puetz and associate Kevin Krawietz confirmed grit and guts saving three match factors in a dizzying and dramatic tiebreaker sending Germany into Saturday’s Davis Cup semifinals in opposition to Spain on the SuperTennis Area in Bologna at present.
“Fairly good to be a part of a match like that,” Puetz mentioned. “Clearly simple to say now that we received. No, what an important Davis Cup tie. What an important environment, particularly contemplating we had been in form of a impartial nation.
“Yeah, I don’t know what to say. Might have gone both manner clearly. Simply so glad that it’s us sitting right here as winners now.”
The German duo denied match factors down 6-7, 7-8 and 9-10 within the decisive tiebreaker earlier than Puetz’s daring forehand strike down the road ended the duel. Although not one of the 4 gamers realized the match was over initially as a result of what was left of the gang was so loud they had been unsure if an out name had been made.
Earlier, Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez had been heroic closers edging Tomas Machac and Jakub Mensik 7-6(8), 7-6(8) lifting Spain to an exciting 2-1 overcome Czechia into its first Davis Cup semifinal since 2019.
Tomas Martin Etcheverry opened at present’s closing quarterfinal out-dueling Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6(3) 7-6(7) to stake Argentina to a 1-0 lead.
In a match of first-strike tennis, Etcheverry greater than tripled Struff’s ace output—23 to 7—and rallied to victory after dropping serve to begin the match.
“It was powerful originally of the match. He was taking part in, like, so aggressive, a number of rhythm,” Etcheverry mentioned. “He received the final week within the challenger, so I anticipate that. After the primary break within the first set, then 15-40, 1-3, it was a troublesome second.
“I simply making an attempt to maintain focus and making an attempt to taking part in level by level. After that, I play an unimaginable recreation at 3-2, his serve. I bought the break again. It was a excessive degree. In fact, the match had completely different moments. Yeah, I’m tremendous happy with what I did at present on courtroom.”
World No. 60 Etcheverry broke again at like to degree the primary set, 4-all.
Within the first-set tiebreaker, Etcheverry used his forehand to fireside out to a 6-2 lead earlier than sealing the set.
“I feel it was a really intense match. Fairly top quality from each gamers,” Struff mentioned. “Yeah, I feel I had an opportunity, I imply, a very good begin to the match. I feel I had the prospect to get a second break. Didn’t occur.
“He broke again superb, superb returns. Yeah, I attempted to remain very calm in that second as a result of I had the sensation I used to be taking part in good tennis. I felt I had good possibilities. However yeah, he managed to win the tiebreak within the first. Once more, I used to be feeling it’s a really intense-type match, however I’ve the prospect to get the second once more. Within the second, in his first service recreation, had break factors. I feel he saved them fairly effectively.”
Ultimately, Etcheverry received 4 extra factors whole (85 to 81) within the match.
“Besides the break, I felt I served fairly good,” Struff mentioned. “I didn’t give him so many alternatives to interrupt me. Yeah, however he began serving very effectively, as effectively. Ultimately he was serving fairly good. It was very shut match. I feel, like, very only one, two factors determined it. Yeah, in the long run that’s it. He deserved to win.”
Germany was down 0-1 when former Olympic gold-medal champion Alexander Zverev fended off Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 7-6(3) to degree the tie, 1-1.
Early within the match, Zverev surged by 12 of 14 factors, breaking Cerundolo at 15 then backing up the break at 15 for a 4-2 lead. That proved to be the lone break of the match.
World No. 3 Zverev received eight of his final 9 service factors within the opener to grab a one-set lead.
Within the second-set tiebreaker, Zverev received a punishing 30-plus shot rally when Cerundolo netted a backhand down the road. That grueling duel left each males bent over grabbing at their knees gasping for air.
On the following level, Zverev zapped a backhand go down the road that eluded a diving Cerundolo, who crashed to the courtroom Boris Becker-style and arose down 0-3 within the tiebreaker. A Cerundolo double fault gave Zverev a fistful of match factors at 6-2.
On his second match level, Zverev bolted an enormous serve down the T closing in a single hour, 35-minutes and organising the decisive doubles to find out which nation would advance to the ultimate 4.
“Extraordinarily pleased with the win, in fact, staying alive within the tie, hopefully the doubles can win it for us and we go to the semifinals,” Zverev mentioned. “I felt like I began very well so I used to be forward within the set earlier than the match form of began.
“The second set was extraordinarily powerful possibilities each wins. In fact, I’ve full belief and full perception in our doubles guys, however now we have to play an important match hopefully they’ll try this.”
Argentina was two factors from doubles defeat serving at 5-6 within the closing set, however got here again to earn a troublesome maintain and drive the tiebreaker at 12:45 a.m. native time.
Zeballos, who was the most effective participant on courtroom for a lot of the match, framed a volley winner to attract Argentina to 3-4 within the tiebreaker. Two factors later he missed a backhand giving Germany match factors at 6-3.
In a stupendous backhand stab volley, Molteni saved the primary match level, Puetz missed a return on match level No. 2 then Puetz, on the total stretch, narrowly missed a match-ending volley on the third match level as Argentina drew even at 6-all.
Puetz pumped a heavy forehand to avoid wasting a match level for Germany and hammered an enormous serve to avoid wasting a second match level at 7-8. Puetz pumped an ace out extensive giving Germany a fourth match level at 9-8 solely to see Zeballos erase it with a serve winner down the T.
A flying framed volley from Puetz saved a 3rd match level for Germany. Krawietz stung a serve for the fifth match level.
After a rapid-fire internet change, Puetz lined up his forehand and flashed it down the road. Then, all 4 males, stood for a second uncertain of what the ultimate name was—in or out—till Chair umpire Alison Hughes introduced recreation, set and match for Germany ending the drama.
