BOLOGNA, Italy – In a heart-stopping display of resilience, Germany’s Davis Cup team clawed its way into the semi-finals on Thursday, defeating Argentina 2-1 in a quarter-final tie that was decided by a monumental doubles battle, culminating in a final-set tie-break for the ages.
The victory, sealed after a grueling two-hour and 31-minute doubles contest, sets up a blockbuster semi-final clash with perennial powerhouse Spain this Saturday.
The tie began under pressure for the Germans after Argentina’s Tomás Etcheverry delivered a masterful serving performance. The world number 60 fired 23 aces to edge out Jan-Lennard Struff in two tightly contested tie-break sets, putting the South American nation firmly in the driver’s seat.
Facing elimination, Germany turned to their talisman, world number three Alexander Zverev. While not at his absolute peak, Zverev demonstrated his class and composure, dispatching world number 21 Francisco Cerúndolo 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) to level the tie and force a decisive doubles rubber.
It was there that the true drama unfolded. The Argentine duo of Horacio Zeballos and Andrés Molteni dominated the opening set, leaving the German campaign on the brink. However, the experienced German pair of Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz, who boast three Grand Slam doubles titles between them, dug deep to take the second set and force a decider.
The third set was a stalemate, sending the match—and Germany’s Davis Cup fate—into a final-set tie-break. What followed was a breathtaking spectacle of nerves and skill. The Argentines earned three match points, each one met with steely resistance from the Germans. In a stunning reversal, Krawietz and Pütz then created four match points of their own, missing three consecutively in a dizzying sequence.
Finally, on their fifth opportunity, they clinched the victory, with the tie-break ending 12-10, sparking wild celebrations on the German bench.
“Incredible. There’s not many matches you play in your career like that,” an emotional Tim Pütz said courtside. “It feels better to win in the end but what a great match and a great Davis Cup tie.”
The win keeps Germany on course for its first Davis Cup title since 1993, the last time they reached the final. The team’s remarkable fightback underscores a renewed team spirit as they now prepare to face a Spanish squad that advanced earlier in the day despite the absence of Carlos Alcaraz.
The other semi-final, scheduled for Friday, will see two-time defending champions Italy take on Belgium.