No nation has won three consecutive Davis Cup titles since the United States won the tournament for a fourth consecutive time in 1972
Italy overpowered Austria in the Davis Cup quarter-finals to move a step closer to becoming the first nation to win three consecutive titles for 53 years.
Straight-sets singles wins for Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli earned victory for an Italian team which dominated despite missing the nation's top two players in Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti.
Italy move on to a semi-final meeting with Belgium on Friday, after their upcoming opponents beat France on the opening day of the Finals in Bologna.
They will begin that match on a 12-tie winning streak at the Davis Cup Finals, stretching back to the group stages of the 2023 tournament.
