MALAGA, Spain — Jannik Sinner saved three match points before ending Novak Djokovic's streak of 21 straight wins in Davis Cup singles matches, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5, to pull Italy level at 1-1 with Serbia in their semifinal showdown Saturday.
Sinner's win avenged his loss to Djokovic for the ATP Finals title just six days earlier. Djokovic's most recent previous singles loss in the Davis Cup was when he retired against Juan Martin del Potro in Serbia's 2011 semifinal defeat against Argentina.
Djokovic's most recent loss in a completed singles match in the Davis Cup had been in 2009. Djokovic squandered a trio of match points before Sinner rallied and broke his next service game to go ahead 6-5 before serving out the match.
Miomir Kecmanovic beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-1 to give Serbia a 1-0 lead over Italy in the first singles match. It was the third meeting between top-ranked Djokovic and fourth-ranked Sinner in 12 days.