Italy dash Great Britain’s dreams of Davis Cup last four berth
Fabio Fognini stuns Andy Murray to hand victory to hosts who last appeared in semi-finals in 1998
Italy foiled Great Britain’s dream of a first Davis Cup semi-final appearance in 33 years with a battling 3-2 quarter-final win in Naples on Sunday.
The British were in control, leading 2-1 going into Sunday’s closing two reverse singles.
But Italy’s world number 13 Fabio Fognini stunned Andy Murray 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to level the tie at 2-2, with Andreas Seppi securing the decisive last point with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory over James Ward.
I knew it would be a tough one, but unfortunately I wasn’t quite able to play well enough
Murray and Colin Fleming had put Britain in command on Saturday with a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 win over Simone Bolelli and Fognini in the doubles.
The Scot had beaten Seppi 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 to level the tie in a rain-delayed singles after Fognini had got the first point on the board for the hosts with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over Ward on Friday.
The Italians, who last appeared in the semi-finals in 1998, will now face either Kazakhstan or Switzerland away in the September 12-14 semi-final.
Murray’s defeat to Fognini was the Scot’s first Davis Cup singles loss since 2005.