Sinner sends holders Italy into Davis Cup final

Defending champions moved into the Davis Cup final after a 2-0 win over Australia on Saturday as Jannik Sinner defeated Alex de Minaur in straight sets to follow up Matteo Berrettini's victory over Thanasi Kokkinakis.

A repeat of last year's final ended with the same result and with world number one Sinner again seeing off De Minaur, sending Italy into Sunday's final where they will meet the Netherlands who have reached the decider for the first time.

Berrettini lost the opening set on a tiebreak before coming out on top 6-7(6) 6-3 7-5. Sinner broke early to take a 2-0 lead in the opening set and although De Minaur responded with a break of his own, Sinner's second break proved decisive.

The second set went with serve for the first eight games as the Australian gave as good as he got, but Sinner finally made the break to lead 5-4 and served out to wrap up a 6-3 6-4 win.

An inspired Netherlands team defeated Germany 2-0 on Friday. Singles wins for Botic Van de Zandschulp and Tallon Griekspoor sparked a party amongst an army of orange-clad Dutch fans inside the Jose Maria Martin Carpena arena.

Van de Zandschulp, the player who ended Spanish great Rafa Nadal's career on Tuesday, held his nerve to beat Daniel Altmaier 6-4 6-7(12) 6-3, although he required 10 match points to give his side the edge in the semi-final.

The world number 80 has won all three of his rubbers this week, including beating Carlos Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers in the decisive doubles against Spain on Tuesday.

Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff looked like keeping the three-times champions in with a chance of reaching the final for the first time since 1993 as he led by a set and a break of serve against Griekspoor.

But 40th-ranked Griekspoor produced a stunning fightback to win 6-7(4) 7-5 6-4, capping the decisive win with his 25th ace.