(Manchester) Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime capped a near-perfect week for Canada at the Davis Cup on Sunday as their victories respectively sent the Maple Leaf through to the quarter-finals and topped Group D.
Shapovalov first secured Canada’s qualification with a 6-0, 7-5 victory over Britain’s Daniel Evans, then Auger-Aliassime defeated Jack Draper 7-6 (8), 7-5 to help Canada leapfrog Argentina in the standings.
“That was our goal this week,” Auger-Aliassime said of the country’s qualification. “The fact that we won all the singles matches, it couldn’t be better. It’s huge, what Shapo did, it’s a great day for us and I’m happy for the team.”
Britain’s Henry Patten and Neal Skupski finished the day’s match with a 7-6, 6-4 win over Gabriel Diallo and Alexis Galarneau in doubles. Canada’s 2-1 victory also sealed Great Britain’s elimination.
Canada captain Frank Dancevic praised his teammates’ attitude not only during the past week, but in general in Davis Cup play.
“It’s been a really good week for us. Our team does magic every time we have to play the Davis Cup. [Les joueurs] come in the best shape and the team spirit is very high now and very good. I am very proud of everyone and very excited to be in the final.”
This is Canada’s fifth consecutive appearance in the Davis Cup Finals. Argentina and the top two countries from the other three groups will travel to Malaga, Spain, for the quarterfinals in November.
“We have good team chemistry,” Auger-Aliassime said. “When we get together, special things happen. I can fully feel the confidence of my teammates, the energy is positive. All the ingredients are there for us to do good things.”
Canada won its only title in 2022.
PHOTO ED SYKES, REUTERS
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Shapovalov’s best round
After a dominant first set, winning 74 percent of the points, Shapovalov faced much more opposition from Evans in the second. He held off two break points while serving to make it 5-4, then capitalized on his first match point – his only break point of the second set – to end the contest.
“I think I played the best first set of my life,” Shapovalov said.
“I’m definitely happy with how I was able to play. Dan is a very tough opponent to play against. I knew he was going to tighten things up in the second, so I’m happy to end the game in two sets. It’s a big moment for me and for Canada.”
This is Shapovalov’s third victory since the start of the preliminary phase.
“I had a lot of fun,” he said. “Honestly, I think I always play better when I’m having fun, and we had a lot of fun with the guys. We’re happy to have qualified, and I’m happy to be part of the team.”
PHOTO ED SYKES, REUTERS
“I had a lot of fun,” Denis Shapovalov said.
Auger-Aliassime needed six set points to end the first-set tiebreaker, then broke his opponent twice in the second to win a 12-set tiebreaker.e Davis Cup match in a row.
Auger-Aliassime hit eight aces and 25 winners to defeat Draper, who had eliminated him in controversy in the third round of the Cincinnati tournament when a match point hit the Briton’s racket, then the ground, before going over the net.
The referee saw nothing and awarded the victory to Draper.
With what happened last time, I was trying to redeem myself. I didn’t, in my eyes, finish the game. In my eyes, it was a tie. I had to go to bed knowing that the game wasn’t over. It’s tough. I had the opportunity to redeem myself today and I tried to play my game, and that’s what I did.
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Like Shapovalov, Auger-Aliassime did not lose a single round this week in Manchester.
“Yeah, it’s ideal. I didn’t lose a set in singles, so it’s almost perfect,” he said. “I’m very happy with my level of play, very proud of the whole team, and it’s really mission accomplished for this week.
“I got what I came for as a player, and now I’m going to attack the end of the season with even more confidence in my game.”