Italy are favourites to win the Davis Cup for a second year running, largely because of No. 1 Jannik Sinner’s presence. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis emerged from a tight-as-can-be tiebreaker by saving four match points and eventually converting his seventh to get past Ben Shelton 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (14) in the Davis Cup quarterfinals on Thursday,

Kokkinakis produced a stunning win over Ben Shelton in the quarter-final after saving four match points, and has won his last four matches at Davis Cup level. Hewitt continues to back Kokkinakis and show loyalty in the World No.77, despite the 28-year-old being ranked more than 50 places below both Popyrin and Thompson.