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Tag: davis cup 2022

  • Felix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov give Canada 1st Davis Cup identify

    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.

  • Sumit Nagal returns to India’s Davis Cup squad for Global Team tie towards Norway, Divij Sharan dropped

    India on Thursday introduced their Davis Cup squad for the Global Team I tie towards Norway on September 16 and 17. Sumit Nagal returned to the workforce whilst Divij Sharan used to be dropped.

    Sumit Nagal returns to India’s Davis Cup squad for Global Team tie towards Norway (Reuters Photograph)

    HIGHLIGHTSIndia named a 6-member squad for Davis Cup Global Team I tie towards NorwayIndia will tackle Norway on September 16 and 17Nagal returns to motion for the the most important conflict

    India on Thursday, July 21 introduced their Davis Cup squad for the Global Team I tie clear of house towards Norway. Younger Sumit Nagal who turns out to have conquer his harm problems is again within the workforce whilst doubles specialist Divij Sharan has been dropped.

    The squad additionally has in-form Rohan Bopanna, who reached the lads’s doubles semi-final at French Open. nation’s primary singles participant Ramkumar Ramanathan (ranked 196), Prajnesh Gunneswaran (295), Sasikumar Mukund (431), Yuki Bhambri (571) are all a part of the workforce, which used to be picked through Nandan Bal-led variety committee.

    Yuki Bhambri has been picked within the squad in spite of him ranked beneath Arjun Kadhe (519) and Sidharth Rawat (566) however the former India No. 1 might be within the top-100 if he makes use of his safe ratings.

    Of the six avid gamers, one can be named a reserve through captain Rohit Rajpal after assessing prerequisites in Norway and it’s going to be a five-member unit that may compete on September 16 and 17, in line with PTI information company.

    In all probability, Sasikumar, who’s but play a Davis Cup tie, might be a reserve participant.

    NAGAL BACK IN THE MIX

    Sumit Nagal, who underwent a hip surgical treatment in November 2021, started competing at the circuit from April this yr. In 8 tournaments this season, Nagal has received 4 suits.

    The 24-year-old participant from Haryana final performed a Davis Cup tie towards Croatia in March 2021 and ignored the next suits towards Finland (September 2021) and Denmark (March 2022).

    It’s going to be first time that India and Norway will compete towards each and every different in Davis Cup.

    India had blanked Denmark 4-0 in New Delhi within the Global Team Play-offs in March this yr.

    — ENDS —

  • Divij Sharan enhances Rohan Bopanna as India keep in Global Workforce 1

    At the centre courtroom of the Delhi Gymkhana Membership on Saturday, there used to be Frederik Nielsen, Denmark captain and 2012 Wimbledon champ, Mikael Torpegaard, the big-serving teenager and Rohan Bopanna, the even bigger-serving veteran and the highest-ranked participant within the doubles rubber. Then there used to be the fourth, Divij Sharan. India secured the Davis Cup tie with a 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (4) win in doubles, saving 3 fit issues to stay the country within the Global Workforce 1. And essentially the most influential participant at the courtroom used to be essentially the most understated one.

    Saturday’s fit used to be the 3rd in Davis Cup for the 36-year-old Sharan. The ultimate time he used to be summoned for doubles responsibility, he partnered Bopanna on Kolkata grass and bested an Italian pair that includes present global No.7 Matteo Berrettini. One in all his 5 ATP titles got here along Bopanna, as did the 2018 Asian Video games gold medal.

    The ultimate two seasons, then again, were difficult for Sharan, whose best possible end has been a Challenger ultimate in 2020. The Indian think-tank, thus, will have been tempted to box Ramkumar Ramanathan for the doubles rubber. The non-playing captain Rohit Rajpal advised as a lot on Friday after Ramkumar’s whirlwind singles win.

    That Bopanna and Ramkumar have gained two ATP titles this 12 months would’ve simplest bolstered the case.

    As an alternative, Denmark did the transfer. They changed Johannes Ingildsen — who has gained a doubles rubber in Davis Cup prior to — with Torpegaard, who had by no means performed one, for the reason that latter had “a large weapon, his serve.”

    India caught with Sharan, who doesn’t serve massive. Sharan used to be continuously examined, in a fit in large part dictated through serves. There used to be one ruin in nearly two hours and in 13 video games, the carrier used to be held to like. Seven instances within the first set (3 of the primary 4 video games), the returning group couldn’t get at the board. Bopanna, Torpegaard and Nielsen right away discovered their groove, racing to ‘love holds’.

    Sharan used to be stretched to a deuce in his first carrier recreation. The 3 fit issues Denmark earned have been additionally on his serve.

    “It is going with out announcing, and it’s to not evaluate the 2, however Bopanna used to be making numerous first serves and his first serve is in reality robust. Divij performs extra on placement” Nielsen stated about seeking to assault Sharan’s serve. “We had a sense that there may well be a couple of extra probabilities (towards Sharan). The scoreboard scenario additionally put Divij’s serves below drive. However we didn’t ruin the serve as soon as.”

    What he lacks in energy, Sharan makes up for along with his placement.

    Being a leftie, he brings the standard unaccustomed angles and spins, in conjunction with the out-wide serve. However the merit is much more pronounced in doubles.

    There’s a explanation why in doubles, the 4 males’s groups with essentially the most Grand Slam titles featured a right-left aggregate. The replicate twins Mike and Bob. The Woodies, Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde. John Newcombe and Tony Roche. Peter Fleming and John McEnroe. Additionally, the Murray Brothers. Roy Emerson, the 3rd maximum a hit doubles participant, prominently partnered with lefties Rod Laver and Neale Fraser.

    Two forehands 

    By means of stationing Sharan at the deuce facet, India necessarily had two forehands. The combination had loose overheads and forehands in the midst of the courtroom. Bopanna managed the web expertly. To get to Sharan’s backhand, the Danes needed to thread the ball down the road or smack it cross-court. Those are riskier, more difficult pictures in maximum stipulations. At the Delhi grass, it used to be just about inconceivable. Nielsen attempted to try this on Denmark’s 3rd fit level at 5-6 within the 3rd set. He formed to deposit Sharan’s 2nd serve cross-court, clear of the prowling Bopanna. The ball stayed low, he used to be rushed and located the web.

    “Rohan’s were given a large recreation, Divij doesn’t. However so long as they mix smartly, that’s crucial factor,” stated India trainer Zeeshan Ali. “Divij has were given a left-hand serve, Rohan used to be masking the web, it used to be very tough to get the ball previous him. The courtroom used to be gambling fast and that’s the place Divij were given numerous lend a hand from. Even if he may no longer have the largest serve or the toughest groundstrokes, he will get numerous lend a hand from the skin.”

    Bopanna summed up Sharan’s contribution. “With the lefty serve of Divij, there isn’t sufficient room on this type of courtroom, and it is rather difficult to show. If you have someone masking the web like myself, seeking to lend a hand him out, it places numerous drive at the returns. Credit score to Divij to get a hold of some excellent 2nd serves.”

    With Bopanna’s bazooka serves discovering their mark and Torpegaard matching the Indian for tempo, it used to be Nielsen’s serve that cracked.

    After the adrenaline prime of taking the primary set within the tiebreak, the 38-year-old Dane shanked volleys and conceded “an affordable ruin.” And as soon as India stored the 3 fit issues within the 3rd, they carried the momentum to seal the tiebreak.

    Effects: Rohan Bopanna-Divij Sharan beat Frederik Nielsen-Mikael Torpegaard 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (4); Ramkumar Ramanathan beat Johannes Ingildsen 5-7, 7-5, 10-7 (fifth fit used to be no longer performed)

  • Meet Mikael Torpegaard: Denmark’s Davis Cup spearhead with a heavy steel band

    “I stay seeing those posters pronouncing ‘Grass is Greener at the Indian aspect’. Neatly, I’m colourblind so I will’t see that.”

    One quip from Mikael Torpegaard used to be sufficient to sum up Denmark’s solution to the surface-rankings-home benefit discourse round their Davis Cup tie towards India.

    Within the absence of global No.88 Holger Rune, Torpegaard is predicted to spearhead the Danish problem on the Delhi Gymkhana Membership. The 27-year-old will tackle Yuki Bhambri in the second one singles rubber on Friday. Torpegaard and Bhambri are ranked 305 and 590 on this planet respectively. However scores in Davis Cup can also be misleading, as witnessed in India’s defeats to Finland and Croatia within the closing two ties.
    “I in reality like the theory of embracing the underdog position and getting the chance to play slightly extra freely. It’s no longer incessantly you get to take your probabilities on a floor you don’t know,” he mentioned.

    The bit about colour blindness, then again, used to be greater than a punchline.

    “I if truth be told can’t see which aspect the grass is greener,” Torpegaard laughs. “I’m if truth be told colourblind and it may be difficult at the courtroom if it’s very vivid yellow, inexperienced or purple at the back of the ball. Then the colors roughly mix in combination.”

    Colourblind, certain. Tone-deaf? By no means.

    Following within the nice Scandinavian custom, Torpegaard is a heavy steel aficionado. The fluorescent yellow ‘Flying V’ guitar, continuously noticed in his Instagram feed, is “his darling”. He’s already were given eyes for a James Hetfield-style ‘Explorer’ in neon red subsequent. Just lately, then again, he has swapped the electrical awl for an acoustic guitar for a “pastime venture”.

    Along side Tennys Sandgren — the tennis participant from Tennessee — Torpegaard is a part of a two-man band referred to as ‘Every other Spherical’. It used to be all over the primary Covid-induced lockdown that Torpegaard headed to Nashville, the house of nation track, to practise tennis with Sandgren. Off the courtroom, he jammed, sang and recorded tune covers with the American, a professional drummer with sturdy nation track sensibilities. The duo were given to writing and in overdue January, they put out a six-song authentic EP referred to as ‘Dystopian Despair’.

    We’ve been running in this for nearly 2 years. Simply torp and I striking our hearts into those 6 songs. We’re calling it doom acoustic. Concentrate, experience and tell us what you assume. https://t.co/tktOZaafZD percent.twitter.com/wQGWU6cJQt

    — Tennys Sandgren (@TennysSandgren) January 27, 2022

    “We shared an pastime in old-fashioned nation track, the extra acoustic style which I really like enjoying. Against the top of the offseason we had been like, ‘wouldn’t or not it’s a laugh if we had one thing to position our identify on’. So we spent two weeks and put one thing in combination that folks if truth be told were taking part in,” says Torpegaard. “I’ve had a band up to now, in slightly little bit of a unique style. Slightly heavier style.”
    The “heavier style” is what Torpegaard describes as ‘melodious dying steel’. His authentic band is named ‘Mardröm’ (Swedish for nightmare). Final yr, they launched their debut album referred to as ‘Attracted to Delirium’.

    “It’s a in reality just right feeling as a result of something about steel that I experience is the power. There’s a temper for it, when you wish to have to get going,” says Torpegaard. “The opposite facet is the acoustic stuff. The EP with Tennys, makes you’re feeling another way when you wish to have to wind down. That used to be what we had been seeking to hit with this report and had such a lot a laugh doing it. And we’re already running on a brand new complete album too.”

    In line with Torpegaard, the songs — soothing vocals towards moody fingerpicking — additionally draw from their tennis careers.

    “Numerous them are very dystopian minded. They’re very heavy, a few of them are speaking about some issues we’re going via at the courtroom, off-the-court stuff that’s going down to us. Tricky occasions are the most efficient inspiration.”

    Input Sandman

    Tennis avid gamers were actors, politicians, even musicians; French Open winner-turned-Afro-reggae singer Yannick Noah is traveling Belgium lately. There hasn’t been a bonafide heavy steel rockstar-tennis participant hybrid but. Torpegaard, then again, isn’t the primary Dane to take a look at and journey the ones two longships.
    Lars Ulrich, drummer and co-founder of the genre-defining band ‘Metallica’, comes from a tennis circle of relatives. Father Torben and grandfather Einer represented Denmark in a blended 176 Davis Cup suits and reached later levels at Wimbledon. Lars, too, started at the similar observe, prior to an ego-shattering transfer to California.

    “In Denmark, I used to be ranked top sufficient to be one of the most easiest tennis avid gamers within the nation, however there’s handiest 5 million folks there,” the nine-time Grammy-award winner advised Intercourse Pistols guitarist Steve Jones. “After we got here to Newport Seashore… I wasn’t one of the most easiest 10 tennis avid gamers on the street that I lived on! I jumped headfirst again into Iron Maiden, Saxon and Motorhead.”
    Torpegaard cites Lars Ulrich as “an idol” and beams when discussing the howling guitars and thumping bass of ‘Volbeat’ and ‘Dissection’. Towering at 6’4, with an extended blond mane, he would have compatibility proper into the ones bands.

    On Friday, then again, he is taking centre degree with a racquet. He can serve large, however the tall body can be a drawback at the zippy grass courts, the place the ball appears to be holding rapid and occasional. And whilst injury-ravaged Bhambri is returning to Davis Cup motion after 5 years, the person from Delhi is accustomed to the stipulations and spent the simpler a part of Thursday’s observe consultation sprucing his volleys.
    Whether or not Torpegaard faces the track or hits the precise observe, be expecting some heavy steel tennis on Friday.
    “I love to dial it as much as 11, each at the tennis courtroom and within the track. It’s one in all my final objectives to wreck via in each puts,” he says. “How cool may it simply be to have a most sensible 100 tennis participant who, via the best way, may be only a rockstar?”