After being on the verge elimination from the competition earlier this week, Canada has won the ATP Cup for the first time in history.
The North American team scored an unassailable 2-0 lead over Spain in Sunday’s final to clinch the title. Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime won both of their doubles matches in straight sets against two players who are both ranked in the world’s top 20. The triumph is a big turnaround for Canada who started the ATP Cup by losing four matches in a row and was in danger of failing to reach the knockout stages.
“The emotions are unbelievable. There’s no better feeling than winning. We left everything out there. We came back from far in this competition, losing our first four matches. But we never stopped believing,” atptour.com quoted Auger-Aliassime as saying.
Canada’s route to the title also saw them score wins over Great Britain and Germany in the group stage. They then defeated reigning champions Russia in the semi-finals who were headed by world No.2 Daniil Medvedev.
Shapovalov handles Carreno Busta
In the opening match, Denis Shapovalov beat Spanish number two Pablo Carreno Busta 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 38 minutes. The world No.14 hit 27 winners and seven aces to give the first point of the tie to Canada.
The first set was extremely tight and it stayed on serve until 5-4 when the Canadian had two set points on his opponent’s serve and used his powerful backhand to full effect to seal the 6-4 lead.
Shapovalov had the momentum in the second set and got the early break of serve. Continuing to pressure the Spaniard he took a 3-1 lead which was enough for him to serve out the match and give Canada the win.
” I am just happy I got to play and to get the win and hopefully Felix (Auger Aliassime) can finish the job because there is still a lot of work left”. He said afterwards.
Auger Aliassime wins it for Canada
On the verge of victory, Auger-Aliassime was able to get through Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6 (3), 6-3 after two hours and 10 minutes. He produced a total of 37 winners and 15 aces to seal the decisive win for Canada
”We always kept believing, we are a new nation and even if we didn’t get off to the best start we kept pushing and fighting and now we are champions”. Said Auger-Aliassime.
The first set was a battle and it was the Spaniard who got off to the better start by moving the Canadian all over the court and doing a good job of forcing errors from his racquet. Bautista Agut ended up breaking early in the first set to take a 2-0 lead but the Montreal native responded by breaking right back the following game and the first set was decided by a tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, the world number 11 jumped out to a 4-1 lead and that was enough for him to serve out the first set and take it 7-6.
The second set was another competitive set of tennis and again riding the momentum Auger-Aliassime got the crucial break of serve at 4-3 before going on to serve out the match.
Following their two wins in the singles, the doubles match was not played.
