BOLOGNA, Italy (AP) — Matteo Berrettini beat Jurij Rodionov 6-3, 7-6 (4) to put defending two-time champion Italy 1-0 ahead of Austria in their Davis Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday.

Berrettini was 5-2 down in the second set before coming back with a break in ninth game. He saved three set points against his 177th-ranked opponent in the following game and prevailed in the tiebreaker by converting his first match point.

Italy's Flavio Cobolli will face Filip Misolic in the second singles, as Austria tries to force a deciding doubles match.

Top-ranked Italy is seeking the third straight title and fourth overall. The winner of the tie will face Belgium in the semifinals on Friday.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner , who led Italy to titles in 2023 and 2024, opted to sit out the

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