Germany staged a remarkable comeback to beat Argentina in a thrilling doubles decider and set up a Davis Cup semi-final against Spain.
Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz saved three match points in a final set tie-break to beat Horacio Zeballos and Andres Molteni 4-6 6-4 7-6 (12-10) in a grueling match lasting two hours and 31 minutes.
Argentina had put the first point on the board when world number 60 Tomas Etcheverry hit 23 aces to beat Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (9-7) in a high-quality encounter.
But world number three Alexander Zverev sparked Germany’s recovery by beating world number 21 Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) to force the decisive doubles match.
Zverev, the only top 10 singles player at this week’s Davis Cup, was not at his best but a brilliant tiebreak performance kept Germany’s hopes of advancing to a second straight semi-final alive.
That hope was about to disappear when Zeballos and Molteni dominated the opening set of the doubles.
But Krawietz and Puetz, who have three Grand Slam doubles titles between them, took the second set before a stalemate in the decider sent the match to a tie-break.
The Germans missed four match points, including three in a row, in an astonishing tie-break before clinching victory with the fifth.
“Unbelievable. There aren’t many games you play like that in your career,” Puetz said. “It feels better to win in the end, but what a great match and a great Davis Cup match.”
Three-time champions Germany have not reached the final of the tournament since their title-winning campaign in 1993.
Earlier on Thursday, Spain brushed aside the absence of Carlos Alcaraz to come from behind to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 and move a step closer to a first title in six years.
Spain meets Germany in Bologna on Saturday, while two-time defending champions Italy will face Belgium in the first semi-final on Friday.
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