Canada conquers its first Davis on the back of Aliassime

He offered signs in 2015, when his juniors (under-14s) triumphed at the Caja Mágica in Madrid and left clues, showing that something important was brewing in that batch.

She faked four years later, a finalist for the first time –on the same stage– and then surpassed by the Spain of Nadal, taking those boys well and establishing herself strongly on the professional circuit.

And now Canada is rising, celebrating its first Davis Cup Salad Bowl –2-0 in the final this Sunday against Australia– and establishing itself as the great team of the moment.

He dominated in January in the Antipodes, where he won the experimental ATP Cup, now extinct, and is reaffirmed in the Martín Carpena de Málaga, witness of the first great conquest: Canada came, hit the door hard and has already knocked it down.

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Indeed, Spain longs for Nadal

It does, everything is said, carambola.

In March he had been left out of the competition, when he came with an alignment of circumstances and lost against the Netherlands in the qualifying phase;

However, the subsequent expulsion of Russia due to the military offensive against Ukraine earned him an invitation and, now, with his gala roster and steady pace in the final stretch, he hit the target.

Denis Shapovalov opened the way (6-2 and 6-4 to Thanasi Kokkinakis, in 1h 31m) and signed the proper name of this Davis, without a doubt: Felix Auger-Aliassime.

At 22 years old and installed on the sixth step of the

, the Canadian intervened with determination against Alex de Miñaur (6-3 and 6-4, in 1h 41m) and confirmed himself as one of the wheels to follow.

If he does not go wrong, and it seems difficult for him to do so due to his dedication and his will to improve, he stands out as a true option for the present.

Capital in the final phase of Malaga, with full victories (4/4) and sets (8/8), Aliassime rounded off its magnificent annual layout.

He was decisive in the group stage in September – including a victory against Carlos Alcaraz, at La Fonteta in Valencia – and supported his team in the final stretch of the competition, by making amends for Shapovalov's previous mistakes in the opening match against Germany (quarterfinals) and Italy (semifinals).

This time, however, he jumped onto the court knowing that if he hit it he would crown his country, and he did.

Without any hesitation, despite the fact that De Miñaur sought eight

options , he sealed and distinguished himself.

Although Canada's work is choral, Vasek Pospisil also fundamental with his contribution in the doubles, he made the difference in the end and culminated an exceptional season finale.

While the tennis players are already with a very tight deposit, most of them with their tongues hanging out in this autumnal section on the indoor court, the Canadian has stepped on the accelerator to the full.

To the title that he inaugurated his record in February (Rotterdam) he has added three more in the last two months, consecutively (Florence, Antwerp and Basel).

At Roland Garros he bared his teeth at Rafael Nadal, at the Laver Cup he beat Novak Djokovic and was the first to defeat Alcaraz in his current number one status.

He grows, threatens and hits Auger-Aliassime, an indisputable contender for the great trophies of the future and, why not, also those of today.

For this he needs a jump, having found the limit in the semifinals reached last year at the US Open.

He is not far from giving it.

🇨🇦 WORLD CHAMPIONS 🇨🇦

After 109 years, Canada celebrates its first Davis Cup conquest 👏🤩 @felixtennis beat De Miñaur 6-3, 6-4 in the second point.

#DavisCup #byRakuten |

@TennisCanada pic.twitter.com/2hRdx9CCew

– Davis Cup (@CopaDavis) November 27, 2022

“We have just seen Novak here [Djokovic, resident in Marbella and present in the stands] and, after doing everything he has done and having won everything he has won, he still wants to improve.

These guys [also referring to Nadal and Roger Federer] are models”, pointed out the Montrealer, who had a very narrow margin – less than 24 hours – between his semifinal match and the final;

“I may be tired tomorrow, but not today.

I was prepared for whatever.

Tomorrow I will definitely sleep for a while on the plane...".

Versatile, with a prodigious physique and one of the most powerful forehands in the ATP, he recently made his debut in the Masters Cup and three years ago, at 18, became the youngest semifinalist in the Miami Masters.

To correct his irregularity, Toni Nadal joined his technical team, and the results are obvious.

Increasingly solid, more consistent from the mental angle, he is now celebrating his first prestigious title.

He does so after an impeccable run –seven out of seven if the group stage is also considered– and at the hands of the talented Shapovalov (23 years old, 18th in the world), who after the setbacks of the two previous series redeemed himself in the final.

Together they started the adventure in 2015 and hand in hand they raise the Salad Bowl.

They promised and they respond, they enjoy and make them enjoy.

Canada, led by Frank Dancevic,

SPAIN, GUEST FOR 2023 IN A MORE ESTABLISHED MODEL AND WITH MORE FANS

AC

With their first trophy, Canada joined the group that already included South Africa (1974), Italy (1976), Serbia (2010), Switzerland (2014) and Argentina (2016).

They also ensured their access to the 2023 group stage, in which Australia will also be present, having reached the final.

Similarly, the International Federation (ITF) and the Kosmos company, organizers of the competition, announced this Sunday that they will grant an invitation to Spain and Italy.

Therefore, both are exempt from playing the qualifying series from February 3 to 5, after the Australian Open.

Yes, the United States (will receive Uzbekistan), Serbia (in Norway), Argentina (in Finland), France (in Hungary) or Great Britain (in Colombia) will have to do so.

From Kosmos they value the good response of the fans in this edition.

Specifically, 176,740 people attended the group stage and these Malaga Finals, which is a significant improvement compared to last year, when a total of 105,000 attended – the closure of Innsbruck due to covid penalized.

63,351 spectators have paraded through the Martín Carpena, 21% of them from abroad;

9,522 in the final episode between Canada and Australia.

“We have managed to stabilize the format.

We listened to the players and made some modifications.

We are delighted with the agreement reached with the ATP [] to add the tournament to their calendar.

We are very happy with where we are right now”, appreciated the president of the ITF, the American David Haggerty.

"The idea is to keep it," added the CEO of Kosmos, Enric Rojas.

The new format was inaugurated three years ago in Madrid, and after the cancellation of 2020 due to the pandemic, a turn of the screw was opted for with the multi-venue system (Turin and Innsbruck, as well as the Casa de Campo in Madrid) for the final stretch.

In this latest edition, the group stage was held in Valencia, Bologna, Hamburg and Glasgow, and the Finals in Malaga.

“Next year the group stage will be safe in Italy and Spain.

We have an agreement with the ATP to go to the UK, but they have to qualify.

We have another five or six different options to decide the fourth city depending on what happens in the February phase”, Rojas settled.

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