Canada’s Vasek Pospisil upset this year’s Monte-Carlo champion Fabio Fognini 7-6 7-5 after 1 hour and 48 minutes in the opening match of the Group F at the 2019 Davis Cup Final at the Caja Magica in Madrid.
Pospisil, who replaced Felix Auger Aliassime, earned the first break of the match in the fourth game after two double faults and a backhand error from Fognini. Pospisil saved the first of the two break points he faced, but Fognini broke back on his second chance after a backhand error from the Canadian player. Fognini did not convert two break points at 5-5.
Pospisil earned his only mini-break at 5-4 before closing out the first set on his second set point with a backhand passing shot, when Fognini hit a backhand into the net.
Fognini saved a break point at 1-1 in a hard-fought third game, when Pospisil made a forehand error. Pospisil brought up three break points at 5-5. Fognini saved the first two chances with his serve, but he dropped his serve on the third chance, when he hit his backhand into the net. Pospisil served out the match at 15 in the 12th game.
Pospisil is now ranked world number 150 in the world after missing half the season, while he was recovering from back surgery.
“I worked hard to get back here from surgery. Since then I have come back with a fresh perspective on the sport. Eight months ago I was thinking if I would ever be playing at this level again, but I am playing at a higher level much faster than I expected”, said Pospisil.
