In 2022, Canada defeated Germany within the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup. Later that week, they have been topped world champions. The Canadians shall be hoping historical past repeats itself over the approaching days.
Identical to the championship marketing campaign, Crew Canada will face off with Germany within the quarter-finals of the 2024 Davis Cup Closing 8 in Malaga. Each groups have 4 of the 5 gamers who participated of their earlier quarter-final returning for this yr’s matchup.
A win over Germany might set a large semifinal showdown with the host nation and it’s retiring legend.
With the quarter-final conflict simply days away, let’s meet the groups standing between Crew Canada and a second Davis Cup triumph in three years.
Quarter-Finals: Germany
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 20
Head-to-Head: 1-0
Final Assembly: 2022 Davis Cup Quarter-Closing, Canada gained 2-1
When these two groups met on the Martin Carpena Area in 2022, it was a nail-biter of a tie that got here right down to the ultimate set of the ultimate match. On that event, Denis Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil eeked out the win over Kevin Krawietz and Tim Putz to finish the comeback for Canada.
This time round, the 2 rosters look pretty comparable though every could have a significant change from the 2022 encounter. Neither crew’s No. 1 singles participant from two years in the past, Félix Auger-Aliassime for Canada and Oscar Otte for Germany, shall be collaborating in Malaga.
As an alternative, the matchup that was the battle of No. 2s final time is projected to be the match between No. 1s in 2024 as Jan-Lennard Struff will prepared the ground for Germany. He beat Shapovalov within the third-set tiebreak within the opening match of the 2022 quarter-final. These two males are very aware of one another, having met 9 occasions on tour with Struff profitable six. The latest conflict was that Davis Cup duel.
Struff had a scorching run in the midst of the 2024 season that included a title in Munich, a few quarter-finals on grass, and a semi in Gstaad, however he’s simply 2-5 since withdrawing previous to his second-round match on the Olympics. A kind of wins, although, was a Prime 20 victory over Lorenzo Musetti. The large-hitting German can convey the warmth on any given day.
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Becoming a member of Struff shall be world No. 88 Daniel Altmaier and No. 95 Yannick Hanfmann. The latter was on the crew in 2022 however didn’t play. Hanfmann was the highest German singles participant throughout September’s group stage, profitable each of his singles matches.
Assuming each groups make their choices immediately based mostly on rating, Altmaier would open the quarter-final conflict in opposition to Gabriel Diallo. The pair have met as soon as, with the Canadian retiring within the first set of their quarter-final on the 2023 Sarasota Challenger.
Despite the fact that Canada gained the decisive doubles in 2022, they may possible wish to keep away from needing a repeat as Germany boasts one of many strongest doubles groups within the Davis Cup competitors, Krawietz and Putz. Ranked fifteenth and sixteenth on the ATP Tour in doubles respectively, the pair reached the US Open ultimate in September and took part within the ATP Finals final week.
The defeat to Pospisil and Shapovalov within the 2022 quarter-final was their first-ever defeat in Davis Cup play and stays to today their solely loss. Krawietz and Putz are 14-1 as a crew when enjoying Davis Cup.
Semifinal: Spain or Netherlands
Spain
Potential Date: Friday, Nov. 22 or Saturday, Nov. 23
Head-to-Head: 2-2
Final Assembly: 2022 Davis Cup Finals Group Stage, Canada gained 2-1
There are lots of storylines for a possible Canada-Spain semifinal, however none larger than the truth that it could possibly be the ultimate skilled look of 22-time Grand Slam champion and five-time Davis Cup champion Rafael Nadal.
The Mallorcan legend introduced a number of weeks in the past that he would retire after the Davis Cup Finals, that means if Canada defeats Spain within the semis, that might be it for one of many biggest gamers the game has ever seen.
Spain is without doubt one of the most threatening groups on paper and never simply due to Nadal. They are going to be led by world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, who gained two extra Grand Slam titles this yr. Becoming a member of them as one other singles possibility is the tenacious Roberto Bautista Agut. Doubles world No. 3 Marcel Granollers provides to the depth, with Pedro Martinez rounding out the squad.
Learn additionally: Revisiting Rafael Nadal’s 5 Titles on the Nationwide Financial institution Open
If Nadal performs singles, he could be anticipated to face off with Diallo. There’s a risk that Nadal will simply play doubles, possible with the doubles specialist Granollers though he did attain the quarter-finals of the Olympics with Alcaraz.
Alcaraz gained his lone earlier assembly with Shapovalov on the 2023 French Open.
Canada has a dramatic historical past with Spain on the Davis Cup Finals. The 2 nations met within the first yr of the revamped format in 2019 with Nadal sealing the title with a win over Shapovalov. Three years later within the group stage, the Canadians shocked the Spaniards in Valencia due to a superhero effort from Félix Auger-Aliassime to beat Alcaraz after which steal the doubles.
The Netherlands
Potential Date: Friday, Nov. 22 or Saturday, Nov. 23
Head-to-Head: 3-2
Final Assembly: 2022 Davis Cup Qualifiers, Netherlands gained 4-0
For that probably dramatic semifinal to occur, Spain additionally must maintain enterprise of their quarter-final. In the event that they don’t, Canada’s opponent within the ultimate 4 could be the Netherlands.
The final time Canada confronted the Netherlands, the Dutchmen swept away a short-handed Canadian squad in The Hague. Nonetheless, Canada was with out their high 4 gamers on the time (Auger-Aliassime, Shapovalov, Vasek Pospisil, Milos Raonic) and just one member of the crew that went on to win the title in 2022 was at that qualifier tie (Alexis Galarneau, who was making his debut), whereas the Dutch have been at full power.
As soon as once more, the Netherlands will convey their greatest with their high three singles gamers, No. 40 Tallon Griekspoor, No. 81 Botic van de Zandschulp, and No. 111 Jesper de Jong, within the lineup. Additionally they have doubles world No. 8 Wesley Koolhof at their disposal.
Learn additionally: Shapovalov, Diallo Look to Energy Canada at Davis Cup Closing 8 – Meet the Crew
Griekspoor gained his lone earlier assembly with Shapovalov earlier this yr on clay in Geneva. The Dutch No. 1 has reached just a few semifinals this season, together with final month in Stockholm.
It will be a primary assembly between Diallo and van de Zandschulp, who upset Carlos Alcaraz on the US Open this yr.
Closing: Italy/Argentina/United States/Australia
Italy
Italy is nicely positioned to defend its title in Malaga with three of the 5 gamers from the 2023 squad returning, led by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. The 2023 Davis Cup title run was a springboard for the Italian’s enormous 2024 season. He’s joined by world No. 17 Lorenzo Musetti, who had a profession yr that included an Olympic bronze medal.
Argentina
If Canada and Argentina meet within the ultimate, it could be a rematch of their group stage conflict in Manchester, gained by the Canadians 2-1. The Argentines as soon as once more boast a deep crew with three Prime 40 gamers, considered one of three such groups in Malaga, led by Sebastian Baez and Francisco Cerundolo.
United States
On paper, the US is arguably the strongest crew within the competitors. They’re the one crew with three singles gamers within the Prime 25 and have the highest-ranked No. 2 (world No. 12 Tommy Paul) and No. 3 (No. 21 Ben Shelton) singles gamers. The crew is led by world No. 5 Taylor Fritz, the third-highest-ranked participant collaborating within the Davis Cup Finals. Additionally they boast two robust doubles gamers in Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram.
Australia
Will the third time be the allure for the Aussies? Australia has completed because the runner-up every of the final two years in Malaga, dropping to Canada within the 2022 ultimate and Italy a yr in the past. It will likely be powerful for the Aussies who shall be with out No. 1 Alex de Minaur. As an alternative, Nationwide Financial institution Open champion Alexei Popyrin will lead the Australian crew.
CLICK HERE for every thing it’s essential know in regards to the 2024 Davis Cup Finals.
Viewers can watch Crew Canada’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals and Davis Cup Closing 8 ties without spending a dime on CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca, the CBC Sports activities app, and CBC Sports activities’ official YouTube channel. The ties will even be out there in French, as TVA Sports activities and TVA Sports activities Direct shall be exhibiting Canada’s matchups, in addition to all semifinals and finals.
