USA-Italy Davis Cup farce still going at 4am local time

The 2019 Davis Cup has created “ridiculous” and “unreal” scenes as records fell in a marathon match that gave something tennis had never seen before.

The United States and Italy have fought out one of the most ridiculous moments in tennis history as the final group stage doubles match kept players on court until 4.04am (local time).

The absurd scenes of Sam Querrey and Jack Sock going to war with Italians Simone Bollelli and Fabio Fognini all the way past 4am inside Madrid’s Magic Box Stadium have left the tennis world stunned.

After earlier matches at the venue exceeded time expectations, America’s earlier singles matches against Italy were also delayed.

It means it was well after 1am when the doubles rubber began.

The four warriors then delivered an unforgettable match that lasted more than 2.5 hours before America finally emerged with a 6-7 7-6 6-4 win that saw them take the tie 2-1.

Earlier Taylor Fritz kept the U.S. hopes alive in the Davis Cup Finals by defeating Matteo Berrettini 5-7 7-6 (5) 6-2 levelling the series at 1-1 after Fognini earlier defeated Reilly Opelka.

After Italy won the first set of the doubles, the match was essentially a dead rubber — with neither of the teams able to win through to the quarter-finals.

Nobody told the four players on court.

US Sam Querrey, right, and Jack Sock celebrate a point around 2am.

They were still scrapping for every ball, running down every volley as the match ticked over 4am.

With both teams being beaten by Canada earlier in the Davis Cup Finals, America needed to win the doubles in straight sets to sneak through to the quarter-finals as one of the two best performing teams to finish second in their group.

The incredible fight from the four men on court to keep playing past 4am with nothing on the line came after Canada and Australia both forfeited late doubles matches on Wednesday and Thursday.

The match now occupies an incredible place in history.

It is the latest a match has ever finished in the history of Davis Cup tennis — a 119-year record.

It was also just 30mins away from eclipsing Lleyton Hewitt’s iconic 2008 Australian Open win over Marcos Banghdatis at 4.34am as the latest finishing tennis match in recorded history.

Commentators, those that stuck it out to 4am, were exhausted and in awe.

Sock and Querrey win the doubles. USA d. ITA to finish 2nd in the Group.

It's 4.04am.

I'm commentating Murray in less than 7 hours. Good night.

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) November 21, 2019

3.35am.

This will be the 2nd latest finish in tennis' history, surpassing Seppi-Reynolds AusOpen 2007 (3.34am).

Record: Hewitt-Baghdatis AusOpen 2008 (4.34am, looks safe).

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) November 21, 2019

Jokes aside, this is brutal on ballkids, officials, the tournament staff & the players & their support groups. Imagine if either of these teams still had a chance to advance or had more matches to play here. This schedule needs a rethink, which may mean format needs a rethink https://t.co/61oEiWYujO

— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) November 21, 2019

Your 2:25 a.m. update from the Caja Magica.
First set 7-6 (4) Italy. Damn good match actually.
This will be the latest finish in U.S. Davis Cup history, and that's 119 years of history pic.twitter.com/4WeUKCS04f

— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) November 21, 2019

It's 3:24 a.m. in Madrid and the dead U.S. - Italy doubles rubber is going three sets. The previous latest finish for a U.S. #DavisCup tie was the '87 World Group first-round tie in Paraguay (2:35 a.m.) when Aaron Krickstein lost to Victor Pecci, 6-2, 8-6, 9-7. Paraguay won 3-2.

— Ash Marshall (@AMarshallSport) November 21, 2019

Holy Toledo one more set at 325am extremely high level of tennis 🎾 at this ridiculous hr

— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) November 21, 2019

Madrid, 3.25am.

Sock/Querrey-Bolelli/Fognini going three. It's a dead rubber. Both teams eliminated.

Unreal scenes.

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) November 21, 2019

The U.S. lost to Canada in its opening series on Tuesday — its first Davis Cup defeat against the North American neighbours.

Italy, which also needed the tie victory to have a chance of advancing from Group F, took a 1-0 lead after Fognini defeated Reilly Opelka 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3 earlier Wednesday.

Fritz took control of his singles match after the eighth-ranked Berrettini appeared to injure a leg muscle early in the third set.

“I’m excited for Taylor,” U.S. team captain Mardy Fish said.

“That’s one of the biggest wins of his life.”

After failing to progress past the group stage, the US has now on the longest losing streak in its Davis Cup history — having last won the event in 2007.

The U.S. sent to Madrid its youngest Davis Cup team in a decade, with 22-year- olds Fritz and Opelka making their tournament debuts. Fritz was the team’s highest-ranked player at No. 32.

The new Davis Cup is being played in a World Cup-style format with all 18 teams playing in a single venue in the same week, instead of the head-to-head confrontations that used to take place at varied sites over four weekends throughout the year.

— with AP