Canada gained its first Davis Cup identify on Sunday, beating Australia at the back of victories from Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Auger-Aliassime secured the successful level when he downed Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4 after Shapovalov opened the day through rolling previous Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-2, 6-4. Seven years after main Canada to the highest of junior tennis, Auger-Aliassime, Shapovalov and their teammates in spite of everything were given to raise the highest workforce trophy of their recreation.
“I recall to mind us all right here, we’ve dreamt of this second,” Auger-Aliassime mentioned.
Shapovalov had dropped each his singles fits this week and wanted remedy on his again all over a three-set loss Saturday within the semifinals to Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego that lasted 3 hours, quarter-hour. However the left-hander moved briefly across the court docket Sunday, putting in angles to place away winners whilst racing to a 4-0 lead within the first set.
Auger-Aliassime then completed off his very good 2nd part of the season through finishing a great week in Spain. He two times had saved the Canadians alive after Shapovalov dropped the hole singles fit, and on Saturday he changed his weary teammate to enroll in Vasek Pospisil for the decisive doubles level.
This time, Auger-Aliassime made certain the doubles fit wouldn’t also be vital. He fell onto his again at the back of the baseline after the successful level earlier than teammates raced off the Canada bench to leap on most sensible of him. They then were given up and danced round in a circle.
Canada had reached the overall best as soon as, falling to host Spain in Madrid in 2019, when Rafael Nadal beat Shapovalov for the clinching level after Auger-Aliassime had misplaced within the opening fit.
However with Auger-Aliassime having since surged up the ratings to his present spot at No. 6, the Canadians are a a lot more ambitious workforce now. They gained the ATP Cup in January and in spite of everything added the Davis Cup crown to the junior Davis Cup identify Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov led them to in 2015.
“We needed to develop up and be a part of the workforce and take a look at to lend a hand the rustic win the primary identify,” Shapovalov mentioned, “so the whole lot is simply so surreal at the moment.” Australia used to be making an attempt for its twenty ninth identify and primary since present captain Lleyton Hewitt used to be a part of the title-winning workforce in 2003.