Shapovalov, Auger-Aliassime lead Canada to 2-1 win over Argentina at Davis Cup

By The Canadian Press on September 10, 2024.

Canada's Denis Shapovalov celebrates winning his match against Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo during the Davis Cup group stage finals match at the AO Arena, Manchester, England, Tuesday Sept. 10, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Martin Rickett/PA via AP

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom – Canada has defeated Argentina 2-1 at the Davis Cup.

Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., defeated Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-3 in the first singles rubber match on Tuesday in Group D action at the AO Arena. Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime then defeated Sebastian Baez 6-3, 6-3 in the second singles match.

Shapovalov and Vancouver’s Vasek Pospisil fell 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in doubles action against Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni to close the tie.

In singles, Shapovalov had a back-and-forth affair in the first set that saw Cerundolo tie it up after being down 4-2 and tying it again at 5-5 before Shapovalov won the final two games.

In the second set, Shapovalov cruised to a 4-0 edge before losing three of the next four games and eventually closing it out.

The 25-year-old broke on all four of his opportunities while firing five aces and winning 70 per cent of his first-serve points. Shapovalov also edged out Cerundolo with 13 winners to seven.

In the second match, Auger-Aliassime came back from down 3-2 to win the first set before going up 4-0 in the second. Baez made it tough near the end, winning three of the next four games but the 24-year-old Canadian held him off.

Auger-Aliassime had seven aces and won 78 per cent of his first-serve points while breaking on five of his 12 chances.

In doubles, the Canadians got off to a hot start but failed to continue their momentum into the second and third sets.

Shapovalov and Pospisil committed all six of their double faults between the final two sets. The duo also committed 46 unforced errors to their opponents’ 32, while only breaking on two of 16 opportunities.

Canada, the lone seeded team in Group D, will next face Finland on Thursday before taking on host Great Britain on Sunday.

It is Canada’s fifth appearance in the Davis Cup Finals, having won its lone title in 2022. The Canadians defeated South Korea 3-1 in February’s Davis Cup qualifiers in Montreal to reach the group stage of the finals.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.