Canada Downs Sweden, Improves To 2-0 In Davis Cup Finals Group Stage

Team Canada (photo: Brigitte Urban)

BOLOGNA, September 15, 2023 (Tennis Canada Press Release)

Team Canada presented by Sobeys remains undefeated at the Group Stage of the Davis Cup Finals with a 3-0 win over Sweden on Thursday. The Canadian team entered the week as the top-seeded nation in the Davis Cup rankings, and currently sits in the solo lead in their group. As part of Group A, Team Canada is playing alongside Italy, Sweden, and Chile at the Unipol Arena in Bologna, Italy.

Vasek Pospisil kicked things off for Canada with a win over World No. 334 Leo Borg. It was the first singles match of the week for Pospisil, who won his previous doubles contest against Italy on Wednesday. The 33- year-old Canadian served brilliantly, hitting 25 aces and winning 85 per cent of first serve points en route to a 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-2 win. His opponent had only two break point opportunities throughout the entire match.

Yet to face a break point this week is 21-year-old Gabriel Diallo, who took on Team Sweden’s top-ranked player – World No. 175 Elias Ymer – in the second singles match of the day. The Canadian managed to keep his streak alive, defeating Ymer 6-4, 6-3, with another great performance in the service department. The one-hour and 14-minute contest marks the second win of Diallo’s young Davis Cup career.

“Vasek led the way with an unbelievable win – he faced adversity during his match, but showed some great mental resilience,” said Diallo following his victory. “That freed me up to play my game, to play aggressive, and take it to my opponent. I’m happy that I was able to get it done.”

In doubles, team captain Frank Dancevic ran it back with the duo of Pospisil and Alexis Galarneau. The pair won a nailbiter on Wednesday over Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi and Simone Bolelli, and proceeded to do the same today, edging Andre Goransson and Filip Bergevi 7-6(9), 7-6(3). With the win, Pospisil has now won five straight Davis Cup matches, while his teammate Galarneau clinches his third victory in two days.

Team Canada’s next Group A tie is against Chile on Saturday (9 a.m. ET) and will be broadcast live in Canada on Sportsnet One and TVA Sports.