Staff Canada couldn’t have requested for a significantly better begin to the 2024 Davis Cup Finals group stage in Manchester as each Denis Shapovalov and Félix Auger-Aliassime delivered straight-set victories within the singles matches to seal the tie towards Argentina 2-1.
The 2 victories adopted an analogous script, with each Canadian stars getting scorching on the finish of the primary set and racing out to early, insurmountable leads within the second because the 2022 champions took down the deepest staff on paper in Group D.
Competing in his first Davis Cup match because the 2022 closing when Canada received their first title, Shapovalov was calm and composed, dictating the rallies and conserving his opponent below fixed strain in a 7-5, 6-3 win.
Shapovalov dominated the massive factors, changing all 4 break-point possibilities he had within the match whereas saving 4 of six on his personal serve. Regardless of going through extra break factors within the match, he usually held serve extra simply, successful 73 per cent of his first serve factors whereas claiming 67 per cent of his opponent’s second serves.
It was a nervy begin from Shapovalov, who needed to maintain from love-30 down within the opening sport after which confronted a pair of break factors at 2-2. Along with his again up towards the wall, the Canadian was capable of finding the photographs he wanted, together with a giant sliding serve out large and a backhand winner to avoid wasting the break factors.
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Within the following sport, Shapovalov pounced when Cerundolo netted a forehand to arrange a break level. The Canadian fired an ideal forehand down the road to seize a 4-2 lead. Nonetheless, he was unable to consolidate because the Argentine broke again within the following sport.
Because the set went alongside, Shapovalov continued to settle in in the course of the lengthy rallies. He displayed large endurance and slightly than urgent too onerous for winners, he calmly pushed Cerundolo again with deep, penetrating groundstrokes.
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He was rewarded for his endurance the second time the Argentine served to remain within the set. He did pull out a basic backhand crosscourt passing shot to go up love-30 after which pounded Cerundolo into back-to-back errors to interrupt to like and wrap up the opener.
Shapovalov continued to play at a excessive stage early within the second set and his opponent had no reply. In every of Cerundolo’s first two providers video games of the set, Shapovalov fired backhand winners, one on a return, to arrange break factors and each instances the pissed off Argentine missed a backhand as Shapovalov raced forward 4-0.
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His stage lastly dropped a bit as some errors and a poorly-timed double fault ended his six-game run with a break, however Shapovalov was unphased, responding properly in his subsequent service sport with a maintain to like to maneuver forward 5-2. Whereas Cerundolo pushed because the Canadian served for the match, Shapovalov held to attain the primary level for his nation.
Auger-Aliassime Slams the Door
Trying to shut out the tie, Auger-Aliassime adopted Shapovalov’s lead, taking management of the match halfway by the opening set and by no means letting go on his technique to a 6-3, 6-3 win.
Whereas the serve was strong for the Canadian, it was his return that made the distinction as he broke 5 instances, all in a row, on 12 break factors. He received 51 per cent of the Argentine’s service factors.
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It didn’t take lengthy for Auger-Aliassime to begin to assert himself. In Baez’s second service sport, the Canadian had an opportunity for an early break however missed a backhand. All through the opening set, it was Auger-Aliassime dictating together with his big hitting. Most factors had been determined both by the Canadian overpowering his opponent or misfiring.
A intelligent change of tempo although set him up for a break at 3-3 when he whipped out a decent drop shot to go up 40-AD and proceeded to fireplace a forehand passing shot down the road to seal it. After a fast maintain to like, the forehand once more did the injury on return as Baez served to remain within the set. One huge strike drew an error to carry up a set level and he completed it off with a winner that painted the road.
The second set began out as a carbon copy of the Shapovalov match, with Auger-Aliassime persevering with to overpower his opponent and racing out to a 4-0 lead solely to see his run, in his case a seven-game streak, finish when he was damaged within the fifth sport.
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Simply when it appeared just like the repeat would proceed with Baez up 40-love as he tried to consolidate (which Cerundolo had), Auger-Aliassime clawed again to deuce and, after lacking a few break factors, was gifted the break again when the Argentine netted back-to-back forehands.
Baez refused to go away quietly, breaking Auger-Aliassime when he served for the match the primary time at 5-1. He then saved a pair of match factors on his serve within the following sport however he was solely delaying the inevitable. The Canadian made no mistake the second time he served for it, closing out the tie on the primary match level on his serve.
Argentina salvages a degree in doubles
Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni salvaged the tie for Argentina, rallying previous Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to present their squad a degree on day one.
With a victory already sealed, the Canadians initially got here out unfastened and free-swinging in doubles, overwhelming the Argentinians early. The tandem of Pospisil and Shapovalov set the tone with a sequence of highly effective returns to interrupt within the opening sport of the match.
A surprising backhand winner from Shapovalov introduced up a fifth break level likelihood within the eighth sport of the primary set and a missed overhead from the Argentine staff gave the Canadians a commanding 5-2 lead.
Pospisil would shut out the primary set proceedings, firing an ace to wrap it up 6-2 in simply 28 minutes.
Nonetheless, Gonzalez and Molteni had their first second of scoreboard strain early within the second set, and a pair of missed volleys from Shapovalov gave them their first break of the match.
That one break benefit can be the distinction within the second as an abundance of errors from the Canadian aspect proved expensive. Veteran Gonzalez would earn a tricky service maintain to safe the set 6-3 in 37 minutes.
Taking part in extra energized, the Argentinian staff carried over their newfound momentum into the ultimate set, breaking Pospisil’s serve within the third sport for an early 2-1 edge.
After staving off break level possibilities to carry for 4-2, Gonzalez and Molteni broke for a second time, successfully placing the match out of attain. Molteni would shut out the match on his serve, securing the only level for Argentina within the tie.
Canada returns to motion on Thursday towards Finland.
