ATP Tour

Krawietz/Puetz save 3 MPs, Zverev & Germany survive Argentina

Germany narrowly survived a stern test from Argentina 2-1 in their Davis Cup quarter-final tie Thursday evening in Bologna.

Tomas Martin Etcheverry gave Argentina the early lead with a 7-6(3), 7-6(7) victory against Jan-Lennard Struff. But Germany would not be denied a place in the semi-finals.

Cerundolo entered his clash against Alexander Zverev with a 3-1 Lexus ATP Head2Head series lead against the German, but was unable to seal the tie for his country. Zverev, the No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, emerged victorious 6-4, 7-6(3) to force a deciding doubles rubber.

Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz, the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals champions, faced three match points in the final-set tie-break before prevailing against Andres Molteni and Horacio Zeballos 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(10).

On the Germans' fifth match point, Krawietz rushed the net to put pressure on the Argentines, who were also at net, before Puetz hit a forehand winner that landed just inside the baseline.

The Germans will next face an experienced Spain team that dug deep to oust the young talents of Czechia in a thriller. 

After Jakub Mensik and Jaume Munar had each earned singles wins for their respective countries to leave the last-eight encounter at 1-1, Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez edged Tomas Machac and Mensik 7-6(8), 7-6(8) in an enthralling doubles rubber to seal victory for Spain.

Final 4 🔜

Granollers and Martinez win the tie for Team Spain, outlasting Machac/Mensik 7-6(8) 7-6(8) to reach the semi-finals! 🇪🇸@DavisCup | #DavisCup | @RFETenis pic.twitter.com/WD3ZQwQ9gf

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 20, 2025

The 39-year-old Granollers, a former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings, and 28-year-old Martinez saved three set points in the first-set tie-break and two set points in the second-set tie-break for their decisive victory. It was finally sealed when #NextGenATP Mensik fired a double fault under pressure at 8/9 in the second-set tie-break, ensuring Spain advanced to a semi-final clash on Saturday against second seed Germany.

The stage had been set for the doubles showdown after 20-year-old Mensik eased past Pablo Carreno Busta 7-5, 6-4 in the opening singles rubber, before Jaume Munar downed Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 6-4 to level the tie. A six-time Davis Cup champion, Spain is into the semi-finals for the first time since lifting its most recent title in 2019.