Italy continues its dominance in the World Cup of tennis and didn’t even need Jannik Sinner this time. Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli stepped up, winning their singles matches to give their country a decisive 2-0 lead over Spain in Sunday’s final. This victory marks Italy’s 4th Davis Cup title and an impressive 3rd in a row. The last country to achieve 3 straight wins was the United States, which claimed five titles from 1968-72. However, as celebrations began, an unexpected and bizarre moment stole attention when the trophy celebration became chaotic and unplanned.

The incident happened when the Italian team received the Davis Cup trophy in their hands. As team member Simone Bolelli lifted it, the trophy suddenly separated in the middle. Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli were shocked and put their hands on their heads. The moment looked chaotic, but the trophy was quickly fixed and put back together.

Once the trophy was aligned correctly, the celebration continued. The players held the trophy high in front of a sold-out home crowd of 10,000 fans inside the SuperTennis Arena in Bologna. 

This win was historic for Italy. Having won the trophy in Malaga in the last two years, they finally lifted it for the 1st time in front of their home fans. It was a milestone moment in the nation’s tennis history and made the victory even more meaningful.

Flavio Cobolli once again proved to be the hero. Just as he did in the previous rounds, he clinched the deciding point. The 23-year-old made a comeback after a slow start, showing strong fight and creativity to beat Jaume Munar 1-6, 7-6(5), 7-5. Earlier in the day, Matteo Berrettini had set the tone by defeating Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-4.

Italy’s victory also marked another important milestone. They became the 1st non-Grand Slam nation to win both the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup titles in the same season more than once. Only the USA and Australia had achieved this before, making Italy’s accomplishment extremely impressive.

The win became even more special because they did it without Jannik Sinner or Lorenzo Musetti, both Top 10 players. Instead of relying on stars, Team Italy showed its depth and unity. Childhood friends Cobolli and Berrettini led the group proudly, demonstrating strong teamwork under captain Filippo Volandri.

After Cobolli hit the final winning forehand, Berrettini was the 1st to rush toward him and climb the barrier to celebrate. Soon, the whole team joined, jumping and shouting with joy. 

The celebration continued with smiles, hugs, and pride as the trophy moment turned unforgettable.

Cobolli shared how Berrettini’s support played a key role in helping him defeat Jaume Munar

It was an Italian partnership that had been in the making for many years. Berrettini worked with Cobolli’s father, Stefano, when he was young. During that time, he often babysat Cobolli, who was 6 years younger. To keep him entertained, they spent time playing tennis together.

A video shared by Spazio Tennis shows a young Berrettini and Cobolli leaving the court together after practising in 2011. Berrettini looks much older and taller, making the moment even more meaningful now. The clip highlights how long their connection has existed.

Fourteen years later, their bond led to something historic. Cobolli and the teammate he describes as being “like a brother” to me walked off the court in Italy as Davis Cup champions. 

Both went unbeaten in singles during the tournament. Cobolli said, “It’s impossible to describe this feeling. I dreamed a lot for this night,” and added, “We cannot lose for our country. Sometimes you learn, but you never lose. I don’t know what I did today. I don’t know where I am. The only thing I know is that I am a world champion.”

Berrettini supported Cobolli throughout the event. He even lost his voice cheering during the dramatic SF against Belgium. On Sunday, after giving Italy the lead, he continued to motivate his childhood friend. Cobolli said, “All the guys of the team are special for me. But Matteo is special for me because he’s like a brother. He’s very important for me. He helped me a lot during the match, like the brotherhood.”

This brotherhood played a powerful role in Cobolli’s emotional victory. The connection, trust, and shared history helped him perform under pressure. As the players now take time to recover and prepare for the 2026 season, one question remains.

Will the 23-year-old carry this momentum and make deep runs in the upcoming year?