Canada began their Davis Cup Finals campaign in confident fashion as wins for Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime assured them of victory in their opening Group D tie against Argentina in Manchester on Tuesday.
Left-hander Shapovalov may have slipped down the rankings but showed shades of his best form as he beat 31st-ranked Francisco Cerundolo 7-5 6-3.
Auger-Aliassime was then equally assured in a 6-3 6-3 victory over Sebastian Baez to put Canada 2-0 ahead with a doubles rubber still to be played.
Earlier Germany posted a 3-0 victory over Slovakia in Zhuhai, China which is hosting the Group C matches.
Maximilian Marterer beat Lukas Klein 6-4 7-5 before Yannick Hanfmann beat Jozef Kovalik 3-6 6-3 7-6(3). Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz then completed the job with a doubles victory.
“I’ve very happy. We performed well today,” reflected German captain Michael Kohlmann. “In all matches we kept trying to find ways to win somehow. Yannick maybe wasn’t playing his best tennis but he kept fighting and found a way to win the match, and Maxi gave us a great start.
“He came out very good, very focussed, very concentrated. It was very important for the whole team to start with a win.”
World No. 104 Marterer set the tone for the overall result, proving efficient on serve and generally unperturbed by Klein – ranked 24 spots beneath him – in what was his first live singles contest in a Davis Cup tie.
“I’m pretty happy with my performance,” Marterer said. “I served well, stayed calm in some important moments that’s what matters a lot in tennis, so happy to get through it.”
For all Marterer’s assuredness, it was a different story for Hanfmann – the world No. 96 and German No. 1 this week – who got off to a sluggish start against Slovakian No. 1 Kovalik.
“It wasn’t the best performance from me today but I served well, I stayed in the match and I was able to find a way to win,” Hanfmann reflected.
“Sometimes it’s not pretty but if you get the win in the end it’s a good performance.”
Sixteen nations are competing in four groups in Manchester, Bologna, Valencia and Zhuhai with the top two from each group moving through to the Davis Cup Final 8 Knockout Stage which is being held in Malaga, Spain in November.
In other ties, last year’s runners-up Australia are up against France in Valencia in Group B while the Netherlands face Belgium in Bologna in Group A.
Reigning champions Italy begin their quest in Group A today against Brazil.
Britain’s Draper working to get fit ahead of action
Jack Draper is working on his fitness after picking up a niggle at the US Open and is set to link up with his Davis Cup teammates, a spokesperson for Britain’s number one said.
The 22-year-old lost 7-5 7-6(3) 6-2 to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows on Friday, with the Briton vomiting three times in the second set as he struggled with New York’s heat and humidity at the year’s final Grand Slam.
“After a short turnaround following the US Open, Jack will be joining the team in Manchester ahead of the first match on Wednesday,” the spokesperson told British media.
“Jack and his team are working hard to get fit and Leon (Smith) will take all this into account when he makes his team selection.”
Captain Smith’s team take on Finland today followed by Argentina on Friday, and 2022 champions Canada on Sunday in Group D of the tournament.
Australia captain Hewitt shrugs off De Minaur loss
Australia’s hopes of ending their 21-year title drought in Davis Cup have suffered a blow with Alex de Minaur ruled out of the group stage due to lingering problems with his hip.
De Minaur made a run to the US Open quarter-finals but was hampered by the hip as he exited the Grand Slam in a straight sets defeat by Briton Jack Draper. Australia captain Lleyton Hewitt confirmed the world number 11 was sidelined ahead of their opener against France in Valencia.
“Alex has done some incredible stuff in Davis Cup over the last three or four years now,” said Hewitt.
“But he’s been battling since Wimbledon and he’s hasn’t really been close to 100%. He was desperate to play, but in the end it really wasn’t much of a choice.”
Hewitt said Australia, also pooled with the Czech Republic and Spain, were in an “awfully tough group”.
However, he was confident his team could progress without De Minaur, pointing to the form of players at the US Open.
Alexei Popyrin upset Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadows to reach the last 16, while Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell combined to win the men’s doubles title.
“We back ourselves against anyone,” he said. “These guys put in the hard yards, not just this week leading into this tie, but throughout the year. They’ll be full of confidence when we start.”
Australia, the second most successful nation in Davis Cup behind the United States, reached the finals of the last two tournaments, losing to Italy last year and Canada in 2022. Australia won the last of their 28 titles in 2003, with Hewitt winning a singles rubber to help beat Spain in the Melbourne decider.
