Argentina reaches Davis Cup Final after tense win over Finland

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Argentina clinched a berth in the eight-team Davis Cup Final with a tense 3-0 win over Finland on Saturday.

The Argentines have reached the quarterfinals in Malaga, Spain, in November for the first time in five years.

They had to battle in Group D in Manchester after an opening loss to 2022 champion Canada. They beat host Britain on Friday and overcame a gritty Finland, a semifinalist last year but without its best player.

Tomas Martin Etcheverry beat 703rd-ranked Eero Vasa 7-6 (5), 6-3, then Francisco Cerundolo outlasted Otto Virtanen 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-0. Argentina needed the doubles, and Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni delivered against Patrick Kaukovalta and Harri Heliovaara 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3.

The result forces Britain to have to beat Canada 3-0 on Sunday to advance at Canada's expense.

In Bologna, Brazil beat Belgium 2-1 after losses to Italy and the Netherlands in Group A.

Three-set wins by Joao Fonseca and Thiago Monteiro followed by a doubles loss took more than six hours to complete on the indoor hard-court.

Brazil has a shot at advancing; the Netherlands must lose to unbeaten defending champion Italy 3-0 on Sunday.

In Zhuhai, the United States earned a seeding in the Final by beating Germany 2-1 and topping Group C unbeaten.

Both teams were already qualified for the Final but the U.S. grabbed a seeding awarded to the group winners.

Reilly Opelka saved two match points to beat Henri Squire 6-7 (4), 7-6 (9), 6-3 and Brandon Nakashima eased past Maximilian Marterer 6-4, 6-2. The Americans dropped their first point in nine matches when Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram lost to Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-1, 7-6 (4).

“We have a good chance against any team there (in Malaga),” Nakashima said. “There’s a bunch of talented Americans playing really well right now.”

In Group B in Spain, a tie between teams already out of contention saw 10-time champion France beat three-time champion the Czech Republic 2-1 sealed by a doubles win.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Belgium's Zizou Bergs plays Brazil's Thiago Monteiro during their Davis Cup tennis match at the Unipol Arena, in Bologna, Italy, Sept. 14, 2024. ( Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Brazil's Joao Fonseca reacts after winning a point as he plays Belgium's Raphael Collignon during their Davis Cup tennis match at the Unipol Arena, Bologna, Italy, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Brazil's Thiago Monteiro reacts as he play Belgium's Zizou Bergs during their Davis Cup tennis match at the Unipol Arena, in Bologna, Italy, Sept. 14, 2024. ( Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — England cricket captain Ben Stokes was selected Monday for the second test against Pakistan in Multan after recovering from a torn hamstring.

Stokes is one of two changes to the team that won a remarkable first test of the series, which was also played in Multan.

Matt Potts was recalled, too, with fellow fast bowlers Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes left out. The match starts Tuesday.

Stokes sustained his hamstring injury in August, forcing him out of the entire series when England beat Sri Lanka 2-1. He had played in all three tests in the series against the West Indies, which was won 3-0 by his team in July.

“I like to keep myself in a positive mindset and it allows me telling myself, ‘When you get back onto the field, make sure that you’re fitter than you were when you got injured,'” Stokes said in a news conference.

“You won’t see me miss any test match unless I’m injured.”

Ollie Pope took the captaincy in Stokes' absence, winning three of his four matches in interim control, including the first test in Multan when Pakistan became the first team to lose a test after scoring more than 500 runs when batting first.

England replied by scoring 823-7 declared in its first innings — the fourth-highest total in the history of test cricket — to lay the platform for a famous victory.

For Stokes, it summed up the so-called “Bazball" approach England has adopted since Brendon McCullum arrived as coach in 2022.

“We always try and play to make sure there’s a result,” Stokes said. "Sometimes there are moments in the games where we might have to do something a little bit out of the ordinary to keep the game alive so that both teams have a chance of winning.

“That’s how, with me being captain and Baz being coach, that’s how we both view that cricket should be the winner.”

Potts last played for England's test team in the second test against Sri Lanka at Lord's, though he did feature in the recent ODI series against Australia.

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, ⁠Ollie Pope, ⁠Joe Root, ⁠Harry Brook, ⁠Ben Stokes (captain), ⁠Jamie Smith, ⁠Brydon Carse, ⁠Matt Potts, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

England's Ben Stokes serves drink to teammates on the boundary edge during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

England's Ben Stokes attends a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

England's Ben Stokes runs during a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)