MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Fabio Fognini won his third match of the weekend Sunday, downing Carlos Berlocq to clinch Italy's victory over Argentina in opening-round Davis Cup play.
Fognini bested Berlocq 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the first reverse singles match, giving the Italians an insurmountable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five series.
He defeated Juan Monaco Friday to even the series 1-1 and the next day teamed up with Simone Bolelli for a doubles win over Horacio Zeballos and Eduardo Schwank for a 2-1 Italian lead.
Fognini's heroics put Italy into the Davis Cup quarterfinals for just the second time since 1998. They will go on to face the winner of the United States-Britain match-up in April.
Argentina, meanwhile, was ousted in the opening round for the first time in 12 years.
