Tennis world stunned as Sinner is left out of Italy’s Davis Cup roster
The Italian, leader of a team that has won the last two editions of the Davis Cup, is not among Volandri's squad for the Bologna Final 8.
In a stunning twist ahead of the 2025 Davis Cup Finals, world No. 2 Jannik Sinner will not represent Italy in Bologna this November.
Despite leading Italy to back-to-back Davis Cup titles in 2023 and 2024, Sinner was left off the initial five-man roster announced Monday by team captain Filippo Volandri. “He hasn’t made himself available this year,” Volandri explained, naming Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Berrettini, Flavio Cobolli, Simone Bolelli, and Andrea Vavassori as Italy’s squad for the November 18–23 event.
Sinner’s absence—if confirmed—could dramatically alter the tournament landscape. Italy was widely considered the favorite to win a third consecutive title, especially with Sinner’s dominant 9–0 Davis Cup record over the past two seasons.
Without him, Musetti (ranked No. 8) steps up as Italy’s top singles player, supported by Berrettini (No. 59) and a strong doubles team in Bolelli and Vavassori. Still, Sinner’s indoor court prowess often guaranteed one of the two crucial points in each tie.
Sinner could still be called up
There’s still a chance Sinner could join the team, as final rosters can be adjusted up to a week before the competition begins. But Italian Tennis Federation president Angelo Binaghi acknowledged the disappointment: “We understand and respect his decision, but it’s painful. We’re confident he’ll return to the team with the same passion and determination.”
Italy’s hosting of the Finals in Bologna marks a major milestone—the first time since 1998 the country has welcomed the event. The move followed years of negotiations, with previous editions held in Málaga and talks of relocating to China. According to sources cited by AS, tensions between Sinner and the federation may have played a role in his absence. They point to past incidents, including his refusal to meet with Binaghi after winning the Australian Open, citing exhaustion—only to go skiing the next day—and his withdrawal from national duties despite public support during a doping controversy.
Sinner’s schedule for the rest of 2025
Sinner remains laser-focused on reclaiming the ATP No. 1 ranking from Carlos Alcaraz. After withdrawing from the Shanghai Masters due to cramps, he returned last week to win the Six Kings Slam. He’s scheduled to compete this week in the ATP 500 in Vienna, followed by the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals, where he’s defending champion.
So far this season, Sinner has played 49 matches (43 wins, 6 losses), a number that would be higher had he not served a three-month suspension following a double positive test for clostebol in early 2024.
Elsewhere in the Davis Cup field:
- Germany welcomes back Alexander Zverev, world No. 3, for the first time since February 2023. He’ll join Jan-Lennard Struff, Yannick Hanfmann, Kevin Krawietz, and Tim Puetz.
- Spain, led by Carlos Alcaraz, will also feature Marcel Granollers, Pedro Martínez, and Jaume Munar. Captain David Ferrer will name a fifth player closer to the event.
- France fields Ugo Humbert, Arthur Rinderknech, Benjamin Bonzi, and Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
- Czech Republic brings a strong lineup: Jiri Lehecka, Jakub Mensik, Tomas Machac, Vit Kopriva, and Adam Pavlasek.
- Austria, Italy’s first opponent on November 19, will compete with Filip Misolic, Jurij Rodionov, Lukas Neumayer, Alexander Erler, and Lucas Miedler.
- Belgium enters with Zizou Bergs, Raphael Collignon, Sander Gille, and Joran Vliegen.
- Argentina rounds out the field with Francisco Cerúndolo, Tomás Martín Etcheverry, Francisco Comesaña, Horacio Zeballos, and Andrés Molteni.
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