Heading into Tuesday’s ATP Cup round-robin tie against Germany, Canada needed to win and also get a ton of help in order to reach the quarterfinals.
A ton.
*note: they needed Croatia to not lose 2-1, contrary to the tweet above saying 3-0*
Team Canada got all of it.
After Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime kept the Canadians alive with a decisive doubles victory over Germans, they sat back and watched everything else unfold on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Spain whitewashed Japan 3-0. Russia took care of Norway. France and South Africa split their two singles rubbers, with Kevin Anderson staging an incredible comeback to beat Benoit Paire after Lloyd Harris had fallen to Gilles Simon. Poland upset Austria behind Hubert Hurkacz (d. Dominic Thiem) and Kacper Zuk (d. Dennis Novak). Argentina won a doubles match against the Croatians, who would have advanced and knocked Canada out if they had emerged victorious.
Shapovalov, Auger-Aliassime, and company were obviously keeping a close eye on Argentina vs. Croatia.
The outcome of those results is a finalized ATP Cup quarterfinal draw as follows:
Serbia vs. Canada
Argentina vs. Russia
Great Britain vs. Australia
Belgium vs. Spain
Perhaps not surprisingly, seven of the eight quarterfinalists are the exact same from the 2019 Davis Cup Finals that took place less than two months ago. Only Belgium is a newcomer, replacing Germany. Spain beat Canada for the Davis Cup title, and a rematch is possible in the ATP Cup final based on how the bracket unfolded.
congrats, Canada
So excited. I know it was a long shot but everything happened as needed for Canada.
If FAA can only win his match, Canada will have a great chance of beating Serbia. So curious to see how Shapovalov does against Djokovic.