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Workforce Canada offered by Sobeys is simply three ties away from profitable its second consecutive Davis Cup title, beginning with Finland on Tuesday.
Although that doesn’t look like a lot, every nation alongside the way in which will do its greatest to dethrone the reigning champions and take the highest honours for itself.
Learn extra: Canada Sits Atop Year-End Billie Jean King Cup Rankings
Canada will solely have one assured tie this week, that being Finland within the quarter-finals. At this stage, no staff will be underestimated, and the Canadian gamers should be in prime type to make sure constant victories.
Earlier than the matches start, it’s the best staff to study Canada’s opposition.
Finland
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 21
- Head-to-Head: 1-0
- Final Assembly: 1966 Davis Cup Europe First Spherical, Canada gained 4-1
Workforce Canada’s first and solely assured tie will come in opposition to Finland. It’s been practically 60 years because the two international locations final confronted one another and when that occurred, Canada walked away with the victory.
Trying to repeat historical past, Canada should greatest a staff led by world No.71 Emil Ruusuvuori. Although it’s been 4 years since Ruusuvuori gained a title — he gained six in 2019 on the ATP Challenger and ITF circuits — he gained all his matches on the group stage in September.
Becoming a member of Ruusuvuori is Otto Virtanen, a 22-year-old who’s coming off two Challenger titles in 2023. He additionally gained two of his matches on the group stage, exhibiting that he’s greater than able to dealing with the hardest moments.
Regardless of a low rating, Patrick Kaukovalta has seen some success in 2023, profitable an ITF occasion in Budapest earlier this 12 months. His sole match of the group stage got here with Harri Heliovaara at his facet which resulted in a doubles victory in opposition to america.
Heliovaara, ranked No. 29 on the planet in doubles, will look to bounce again from a middling group stage the place he went 2-2. He gained a doubles title in Adelaide this 12 months.
Lastly, Patrik Niklas-Salminen is Finland’s different doubles-focused participant. He misplaced each his doubles matches within the group stage with Heliovaara.
Ought to Canada advance into the semifinals, they’ll face off in opposition to both Australia or Czechia.
Australia
- Potential Date: Friday, Nov. 24
- Head-to-Head: 2-9
- Final Assembly: 2022 Davis Cup Finals, Canada gained 2-0
A possible rematch of the 2022 Davis Cup finals, the place Canada gained 2-0, looms in semis ought to the defending champions meet Australia. Alex de Minaur leads the staff and is at the moment ranked No. 12 on the planet. He’s one in every of 4 High 100 gamers on the Australian staff alongside Max Purcell, Jordan Thompson, and Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Kokkinakis and de Minaur confronted off in opposition to Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime within the 2022 closing respectively however couldn’t muster even a set win in these matches.
Czechia
- Potential Date: Friday, Nov. 24
- Head-to-Head: First assembly
If Czechia is the ultimate 4 opponent, Canada should fend off No. 31 general Jiri Lehecka, Tomas Machac, Jakub Mensik, and Adam Pavlasek.
This 12 months, Machack gained two Challenger titles in singles, whereas Pavlasek has three of his personal in doubles. Lehecka and Mensik, nevertheless, final gained titles of their very own in 2022. Given the complete staff’s relative success within the final two years, not one of the gamers must be thought of pushovers.
On the Australian Open, Lehecka defeated Auger-Aliassime within the fourth spherical. Ought to the 2 face off in opposition to one another within the semifinals, the Canadian will preserve his eyes open as a way to even the tides.
If Canada reaches its third closing in 4 editions of the Davis Cup, they’d meet one of many following 4 international locations.
Netherlands
Tallon Griekspoor is the Netherlands’ top-ranked player, coming in at No. 23 in singles. Ought to they must rely upon a doubles match to seal their victories, the staff will flip to Wesley Koolhof and Jean-Julien Rojer to make fast work of their doubles matchup provided that the duo is ranked No. 5 and No. 18 respectively.
Italy
If Italy has 2023 OBN winner Jannik Sinner main the cost, they’ll be a pressure to be reckoned with. Tack on Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Arnaldi, Lorenzo Sonego, and Simone Bolelli and you’ve got one of the vital intimidating lineups of the event.
Nonetheless, Gabriel Diallo took down Musetti within the group stage again in September as a part of a Canadian sweep.
Serbia
Throughout Canada’s 2022 title run, Serbia managed to defeat them within the group stage in what was basically a useless tie. The final time the 2 international locations confronted one another previous to that was within the 2013 semifinals, when Novak Djokovic took down each Vasek Pospisil and Milos Raonic.
10 years later, Djokovic continues to be simply as elite and leads the Serbian squad.
Nice Britain
Britain’s highest-ranked participant, Cameron Norrie, final performed Auger-Aliassime on the Canadian Open in 2022, a fifth win in six conferences for the Montrealer. Norrie has as many titles because the Canadian this 12 months.
The remainder of the staff contains Andy Murray and Jack Draper, who’re each ranked within the High 100 in singles, in addition to Neal Skupski, the No. 3 doubles participant on the planet, and Joe Salisbury, ranked No. 12.
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