Germany became the first team to advance to the Davis Cup Final 8 with a commanding 4-0 victory over Japan in Tokyo. After securing a 2-0 lead on Friday, the German team sealed their qualification on Saturday when Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz won a tightly contested doubles match, saving three set points in the second set. Justin Engel then delivered the final point with a hard-fought singles win. Germany’s captain, Michael Kohlmann, celebrated the achievement, noting the team’s excitement and ambition to improve on last year’s semi-final finish. They will join hosts Italy in the culminating round this November in Bologna.
France and Argentina also secured their places in the Final 8 with decisive performances. France triumphed 3-1 over Croatia in Osijek, with Corentin Moutet clinching the winning point against Marin Cilic. Meanwhile, Argentina swept last year’s finalists, the Netherlands, with an unassailable 3-0 lead after Andres Molteni and Horacio Zeballos won their doubles match in straight sets. The Argentinian team displayed composure and skill to advance comfortably.
The most dramatic qualifier came in Debrecen, where Austria edged Hungary 3-2 in a nail-biting tie. After losing both matches on Friday, Hungary mounted a spirited comeback with Fabian Marozsan and Zsombor Piros winning a tense doubles match, followed by Piros leveling the score at 2-2 with a singles victory. However, Austria’s Jurij Rodionov dominated the decisive fifth match, securing his team’s place in the next round with a comprehensive win.
In other ties, Belgium and Denmark took commanding 2-0 leads over Australia and Spain, respectively. Denmark’s strong performance, led by world number 11 Holger Rune, has last year’s quarter-finalists Spain on the brink of elimination. Meanwhile, the United States holds a 2-1 advantage over the Czech Republic after a doubles victory, though the Czechs remain in contention after Jiri Lehecka’s upset win over Taylor Fritz. The outcomes of these matches will determine the remaining Final 8 participants.
