By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, November 17, 2025Photo credit: Davis Cup Facebook
Austria gained a big boost before striking a single shot in this week’s Davis Cup Final 8.
The bad news for Austria: It faces massive challenge playing two-time defending-champion Italy on its home turf in Bologna in Wednesday’s Davis Cup quarterfinals.
The good news for Austria: World No. 2 Jannik Sinner and No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti have each withdrawn from the Davis Cup Final 8.
Those two Top 10 absences infuses Austria with hope it can pull off a mission improbable.
The key components to victory, says Austrian captain Jurgen Melzer, the 12th-ranked Austrians must believe in their cause and remember they only have to be better than Italy for one tie.
“The good thing for underdog nations is that you only have to be better on that one day,” captain Melzer told the media in today’s Davis Cup press conference. “You don’t have to be consistently better than the other team. Any nation can have a bad day, no matter how much or how many playersthey have in front of you.
“In the end, you got to prepare well and you got to believe. There has been in the past so many upsets, even to big nations. I mean, who would have believed the United States lose at home to the Czech Republic [in Delray Beach in September].”
Even without Top 10 talents Sinner and Musetti, Italy still boasts a formidable lineup led by No. 22 Flavio Cobolli, No, 39 Lorenzo Sonego, former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini and a standout doubles team of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.
Austria counters with No. 80 Filip Misolic, No. 160 Jurij Rodionov, Lukas Neumayer, Lucas Miedler and Alezander Earler.
Captain Melzer said the game plan is simple: Win one of the singles matches and try to pull off the upset with a doubles victory.
“Even us in Hungary, we have been not the favorite. Coming here to Italy, who knows?” Melzer said. “You win one of the first two singles and you’re in a live doubles match, anything can happen. That’s what we have to look forward to.
“That’s what we have to believe in. As I said, our team has been performing well over the pastfour ties. Why not a fifth tie?”
Davis Cup Final 8 Schedule
QUARTERFINAL 1 – France v Belgium
Tuesday November 18th – 16.00 (CET)
QUARTERFINAL 2 – Italy v Austria
Wednesday, November 19th – 16.00 (CET)
QUARTERFINAL 3 -Spain v Czechia
Thursday, November 20th – 10.00 (CET)
QUARTERFINAL 4 – Argentina v Germany
Thursday, November 20th – 17.00 (CET)
SEMIFINAL 1 (QF1 v QF2)
Friday, November 21st – 16.00 (CET)
SEMIFINAL 2 (QF3 v QF4)
Saturday, November 22nd – 12.00 (CET)
FINAL
Sunday, November 23rd – 15.00 (CET)
