Denis Shapovalov highlights 'out-of-body experience' as key moment in Canada's first Davis Cup triumph
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Published 28/11/2022 at 13:35 GMT
Felix Auger-Aliassime turned out to be the star player for Canada as they won the Davis Cup for the first time. The world No. 6 went undefeated across the week in Malaga and was 8-0 in sets. However, Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil also came up trumps at key times to help Canada clinch victory. Shapovalov has picked out one "out-of-body experience" as a highlight from the event.
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What was the key moment of Canada’s first-ever Davis Cup victory?
For Denis Shapovalov, it didn’t come in the final or even in the semi-finals.
The world No. 18 had a mixed week of results in Malaga as he lost his singles matches against Germany and Italy, but then set Canada up for victory in the final by beating Thanasi Kokkinakis in straight sets.
Shapovalov was also involved in Canada’s decisive doubles comeback win against Germany.
Canada appeared to be heading for defeat as doubles specialists Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz won the first set 6-2 against Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil.
Krawietz and Puetz entered the match with a combined 23-0 record in Davis Cup doubles.
But Shapovalov and Pospisil launched an inspired fightback to turn the match around, winning 2-6 6-3 6-3 to book Canada’s place in the semi-finals.
“Obviously, the doubles with Vasek in the quarter-finals against Germany was massive,” said Shapovalov after the final.
“Against an undefeated [Davis Cup] team, coming back from a set down, we just completely lit it up.
“It was crazy, crazy. We didn’t miss a ball for a while there. It was like an out-of-body experience. It was crazy.”
Canada’s semi-final also went down to the doubles as they edged past Italy, with Auger-Aliassime this time teaming up with Pospisil to post the win.
The final was a more convincing victory as Shapovalov and Auger-Aliassime beat Kokkinakis and Alex de Minaur respectively to clinch a 2-0 victory
Auger-Aliassime was the key player for Canada, going 8-0 in sets across his four matches.
“The emotions are tough to describe,” said the world No. 6 afterwards.
"All of us here, we've dreamt of this moment. These guys around me - except Vasek, he's a little bit older than me - we grew up together from the ages of seven-eight years old back in Canada dreaming about being on this stage winning these types of matches, winning the Davis Cup, so it's really a dream come true for me personally, and I think for all the team.
"That's what we play for, that's what sport is for, tennis is for. It was a great moment for myself and for the country."
Auger-Aliassime’s victory was also a personal landmark as he hit 60 wins for the season.
He is only the second man to reach the total in 2022 (Stefanos Tsitsipas finished with 61) and the first Canadian man to record 60 tour-level wins in ATP history.
Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov won the junior Davis Cup in 2015, reached the final of the Davis Cup in 2019 and won the ATP Cup – an international team event – earlier this season.
"We all developed as players individually,” added Auger-Aliassime.
“We got better and better over the years, and I feel like, us getting better, we're more ready for these types of moments.
"But it's never easy to pull through. We had a great team in front of us ... I'm happy that we were able to get the first Davis Cup with this group."
Former world No. 3 Milos Raonic congratulated his compatriots on their victory.
Raonic, who has been out of action for over a year due to injury, was a regular Davis Cup player across his early career but missed the 2019 Davis Cup Finals because of a back problem.
"Many Canadians have achieved a lot in tennis," he wrote on Twitter.
"This shows the strength of Canadian tennis at an international team stage, winning the highest achievement. This is the greatest moment in Canadian tennis and I hope we get to see it happen many more times!"
Doubles specialist Pospisil made his Davis Cup debut in 2008.
He has been a consistent presence in the team since and was part of the side that lost in the 2019 final to Spain.
“We’ve been dreaming about this for several years,” said the 32-year-old. “To be here as world champions, I’m speechless.
“These guys are not kids any more. They’ve been crushing it. You can’t win this event without tremendous team chemistry, going forwards as one unit, and all these guys represent exactly that.”
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