Belgium surges past France into Davis Cup semifinals
In Bologna's electric atmosphere, Zizou Bergs and Raphael Collignon overcame years of defeats to deliver a commanding 2-0 victory, dismantling the 10-time champions and igniting hopes for a deeper run.
Under the bright lights of Bologna's PalaDozza arena, Zizou Bergs dismantled Arthur Rinderknech with a blend of baseline control and sharp angles, firing a forehand winner down the line to secure a 6-3, 7-6 (4) triumph that propelled Belgium into the Davis Cup semifinals. The victory created an insurmountable 2-0 lead over France, ending a run of four straight losses to the 10-time champions, including the painful 2017 final. For Belgium, returning to this stage since the 2019 revamp, the win carried the weight of national resolve, transforming the indoor hardcourt into a stage for redemption amid swelling crowd energy.
Collignon's grit forces decider drama
Raphael Collignon rallied from a shaky start against Corentin Moutet, dropping the opening set 2-6 before grinding out 7-5 wins in the next two on the quick surface. Moutet's early dominance with slice and drop shots gave way in the second set's 12th game, where two double faults and a flubbed between-the-legs shot at net handed Collignon the break, shifting momentum into the decider. The third set echoed that tension, as Collignon held through extended deuces and broke in the final game with deep crosscourt returns that exploited his opponent's fading focus, clinching the 1-0 team lead in this best-of-three singles format.
"It was a crazy match," Collignon said.
Bergs dictates with tactical precision
Bergs built on that foundation, using one–two combinations of serve and deep forehand to pin Rinderknech back from the baseline, rarely yielding easy inside-in opportunities. He claimed the first set 6-3 by converting a third break point with a backhand crosscourt that grazed the line, his footwork steady despite the stakes. The second set tightened into a tiebreak, where Bergs erased two set points with net rushes and a deft drop shot, then closed 7-4 in the breaker, his down-the-line forehand a release of season-long pressure accumulated through ATP challenges and national duty.
Semifinal tests await on hard courts
Both teams had reentered the quarterfinals of this neutral-site Final 8 for the first time since 2019, now in its sixth edition, and Belgium's composure turned historical shadows into clear momentum. They now eye Friday's semifinal against the winner of No. 1 Italy or Austria, where the surface's pace could favor their adjustments against varied styles. Thursday brings the remaining quarters, with No. 2 Germany facing Argentina and Spain—without Carlos Alcaraz, sidelined by a hamstring injury—taking on the No. 4-seeded Czech Republic, setting a path where Belgium's newfound edge promises to challenge the field's depth with sustained tactical poise and crowd-fueled fire.
