(Bologna) Despite the absence this week of Félix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov, its two best players, Canada will be able to defend its Davis Cup champion title in a little over two months, in Spain.
The team led by captain Frank Dancevic achieved this feat following the victory of Laval’s Alexis Galarneau in two sets of 6-3, 7-6 (5) against the Chilean Alejandro Tabilo in the phase group stage of the tournament on Saturday in Bologna, Italy.
When Tabilo sent a backhand volley into the net on match point, Galarneau leapt into the air and shook his right fist. He then grabbed with his right hand the Tennis Canada logo embroidered on the right side of his sweater, kissed it briefly before proudly pointing it in the direction of his teammates, including Shapovalov, on site even though he could not playing due to a knee injury this summer.
PHOTO MICHELE NUCCI, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Alejandro Tabilo
Dancevic then came over to Galarneau to give him a warm hug near the net before quickly passing his hand over the top of his head.
For Galarneau, it was a second singles victory this week. Tuesday, during Canada’s first match, he surprised the Italian Lorenzo Sonego, 38e world player, in two rounds. Galarneau also collected two doubles victories with veteran Vasek Pospisil, against Italy and Wednesday against Sweden
Even losing the second singles match and the doubles match that is to follow at the end of the day, Canada is assured of finishing among the top two teams in Group A, following their victories by identical scores of 3-0 against Italy and Sweden.
Seven other nations will participate in the elimination phase, from November 21 to 26 in Malaga.
Led by Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov, Canada won the Davis Cup for the first time in its history last year thanks to a final victory against Australia.
Galarneau resists
Ranked 200e in the world, Galarneau held off Tabilo, who entered the competition at 124e rank in the ATP rankings.
The 24-year-old from Laval ignored his rival’s eight aces – who committed no double faults – and his success rate of 79% in first serves to score two breaks of service, both in the first set.
This second break by Galarneau allowed him to give himself a 5-3 lead and concluded a sequence of three games during which both players lost their serve.
Galarneau secured the first set after 43 minutes of action when Tabilo sent a forehand into the net.
The second round lasted 62 minutes and was hotly contested. The two rivals played with aplomb on serve until Galarneau was the first to find himself in a precarious position, during the 10e game.
Tabilo managed to give himself two break chances, but each time, Galarneau forced him to send a backhand into the net. The same scenario repeated itself two points later when the Laval player faced a third break point.
In the tiebreaker, Galarneau built cushions of 4-0 and 5-2 before seeing the Chilean reduce his lead to 6-5.
A final blunder from Tabilo would allow Canada to celebrate another appearance in the final round of the Davis Cup.
In the second singles match, Montrealer Gabriel Diallo crosses swords with Nicolas Jarry.
Galarneau and Pospisil must take part in the doubles match against the tandem of Tabilo and Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera.