Felix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov information Canada to successful begin in Davis Cup Finals Group Stage | ATP Tour

Match Report

Felix, Shapovalov information Canada to successful begin in Davis Cup Finals Group Stage

Germany beats Slovakia in Group C

September 10, 2024

Canada made a successful begin to its Group D Davis Cup Finals Group Stage on Tuesday in Manchester, the place Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov earned singles victories to underpin their nation’s 2-1 victory over Argentina.

Within the opening match of the day, Shapovalov moved previous Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-3 to earn victory towards the No. 31 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings after one hour and 37 minutes.

Shapovalov transformed all 4 break factors he conjured up and capitalised on an erratic efficiency from Cerundolo, who dedicated 51 unforced errors.

World No. 21 Auger-Aliassime then walked onto court docket and brushed previous Sebastian Baez 6-3, 6-3. Auger-Aliassime suffered a disappointing first-round exit on the US Open final month however appeared in management all through on the indoor laborious courts in Manchester.

Argentina’s doubles specialists Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni then scored a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory towards Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil after warding off 14 of the 16 break factors they confronted.

The Group Stage takes place in 4 cities, from Tuesday to Sunday, in Bologna, Manchester, Valencia and Zhuhai. Every group consists of 4 international locations, with the highest two international locations in every group advancing to the Ultimate 8, which is able to happen in Malaga on 19-24 November.

Australia and France break up the primary two singles matches in Group B. Thanasi Kokkinakis gained a hard-fought match with Arthur Fils 7-6(4), 7-6(3) earlier than Ugo Humbert levelled the tie with a 6-3, 6-2 win towards Alexei Popyrin, who surprised Novak Djokovic on the US Open en path to a fourth-round run. Humbert gained 80 per cent of his first-serve factors in comparison with Popyrin’s 59 per cent.

Simply 4 days after successful the US Open doubles crown with Jordan Thompson, Max Purcell teamed with Matthew Ebden to seal Australia’s 2-1 victory with a 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 victory over Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.

Sturdy efficiency to degree 🇫🇷@HumbertUgo eases previous Popyrin 6-3 6-2!@DavisCup | #DavisCup
pic.twitter.com/glIWT9GY6a

— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 10, 2024

Established doubles companions Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen sealed Belgium’s 2-1 victory over The Netherlands in Group D, defeating Botic van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.

Earlier, van de Zandschulp started the day by defeating Raphael Collignon 7-5, 7-6(6), led by 19 forehand winners. Belgian Zizou Bergs downed Tallon Griekspoor 6-2, 6-7(3), 6-3 after two hours and 12 minutes. The Dutchman raced to a 5/0 lead within the second-set tie-break and shortly after despatched the match right into a decider. Bergs’ one break of serve within the ultimate set was sufficient for the 25-year-old to seize the win.

In Group C, Germany shrugged off the sapping warmth and humidity in Zhuhai to finish a 3-0 opening-day overcome Slovakia and make a flying begin to its marketing campaign.

Taking part in with out their prime 4 singles gamers within the absence of Alexander Zverev, Jan-Lennard Struff, Dominik Koepfer and Daniel Altmaier in Zhuhai this week, Michael Kohlmann’s workforce had been nonetheless in a position to produce a end result befitting the nation’s stature within the sport, dropping a solitary set throughout three matches on Tuesday.

Maximilian Marterer toppled Lukas Klein 6-4 7-5 within the day’s opening singles earlier than Yannick Hanfmann shook off the early rust for a battling 3-6 6-3 7-6(3) win over Jozef Kovalik to place the tie past doubt.

Ever-reliable duo Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz accomplished a 3-0 clear sweep with a 7-5 6-3 victory over Klein and Igor Zelenay within the doubles.

“I’ve very completely happy. We carried out effectively in the present day,” mirrored German captain Michael Kohlmann. “In all matches we saved looking for methods to win one way or the other. Yannick perhaps wasn’t taking part in his greatest tennis however he saved preventing and located a solution to win the match, and Maxi gave us an ideal begin.

“He got here out superb, very focussed, very concentrated. It was essential for the entire workforce to begin with a win.” 

Contribution from daviscup.com within the report.