ITF

8 Summer 2022 ITF World So too Jannik Sinner, who thrived in his first Davis Cup campaign on home turf in Turin last year. The 21-year-old world No. 11 blitzed John Isner and edged past Marin Cilic in a thriller only to be undone alongside Fabio Fognini against Croatia's Olympic gold medal- winning doubles team Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic with the quarter-final on the line. Italy and Croatia are reunited in Group A – as are Sinner, Mektic and Pavic – with Argentina and Sweden joining them in Bologna. As young guns emerge as leading lights in Europe's leading nations, USA are witnessing the maturation of a side that has held great promise for some time. The Americans sorely missed US No. 1 and Wimbledon quarter- finalist Taylor Fritz last year in Turin, evidenced by his leading role in their Qualifiers victory over Colombia in March. Three of the four men behind that win – Fritz, Jack Sock and Rajeev Ram – are set to return for the group stage, alongside Tommy Paul, with John Isner DAVIS CUP FINALS The highwire drama of playing in your country's colours in the hope of being crowned World Champions remains the competition's intrinsic visceral thrill. Above, clockwise from top le : French fans will see their country up against Germany, Australia and Belgium Felix Auger-Aliassime was a late call-up for Canada US Open quarter-finalist Jannik Sinner will be in ac on USA's Taylor Fritz hopes to take his good Davis Cup form to Glasgow Nicola Mek c and Mate Pavic helped secure Croa a's 2021 runner-up finish Andy Murray returns to the scene of Great Britain's 2015 triumph Bo c van de Zandschulp will lead Netherlands missing out with a wrist injury picked up in New York. In Group D, Great Britain and Glasgow welcome back Andy Murray, born in the city and the architect of their 2015 victory over USA at the same venue en route to the nation's first Davis Cup title in 79 years. The three-time Grand Slam champion and twice Olympic gold medallist will line up alongside Wimbledon semi-finalist Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, Joe Salisbury, who reached No. 1 in doubles earlier this season, and another doubles great, Neal Skupski. And while captain Leon Smith faces the headache of multiple matchday options, he insists the host nation is a different prospect with talisman Murray in the side. "He was desperate to be part of it," said Smith, who took over the captaincy in 2010. "What he brings, whether in a match itself or tactically to

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