STARNBERG, September 13, 2024
Netherlands recovered from losing the first match against Brazil to record a 2-1 win and kickstart their Davis Cup Finals Group Stage campaign in Bologna, with Wesley Koolhof and Botic van de Zandschulp defeating Rafael Matos and Marcelo Melo in a decisive doubles match. Earlier, Tallon Griekspoor beat Thiago Monteiro.
Koolhof/van de Zandschulp pull through 🔥💪
Despite a late resurgence from Matos/Melo, the Dutch duo hold strong and secure the victory and win the tie 2-1 for their country! 🇳🇱#DavisCup pic.twitter.com/nOewGH2UbJ
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) September 12, 2024
“Those were some difficult 48 hours,” said Griekspoor. “I was very disappointed with myself on Tuesday, with my performance. So, yeah, yesterday wasn’t easy. I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to play today. This morning I woke up quite okay, a lot better than yesterday. I also felt like I was number one in the team, I like these guys, they were there for me the last two days, so the least I could do was to come out here today and at least fight from the first ball to the last. I am very, very proud of myself, very proud of the win.”
Meanwhile Australia, Canada and Germany all recorded comfortable 3-0 wins on Thursday, with Australia defeating Czechia in Valencia, Canada overcoming Finland in Manchester and Germany triumphing against Chile in Zhuhai.
“We couldn’t ask for more today,” said Canada’s captain Frank Dancevic. “It’s never easy to win any match in the Davis Cup and Denis got us off to a great start. He wasn’t 100 percent feeling great, but he found a way to get through. Felix had an amazing performance in the singles and the guys stepped it up in the doubles. It was phenomenal. It was such a clean day. There isn’t much more I could ask for as a captain.”
DAY 3 RESULTS
Group A – Netherlands defeated Brazil 2-1
Unipol Arena, Bologna, Italy
Joao Fonseca (BRA) d. Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) 6-4 7-6(3)
Tallon Griekspoor (NED) d. Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 7-6(2) 6-4
Wesley Koolhof/Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) d. Rafael Matos/Marcelo Melo (BRA) 6-4 7-6(5)
Group B – Australia defeated Czechia 3-0
Pabellon Municipal Fuente de San Luis, Valencia, Spain
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) d. Jakub Mensik (CZE) 6-2 6-7(2) 6-3
Alexei Popyrin (AUS) d. Tomas Machac (CZE) 1-0 ret.
Matthew Ebden/Max Purcell (AUS) d. Jakub Mensik/Adam Pavlasek (CZE) 6-4 6-2
Group C – Germany defeated Chile 3-0
Henqin International Tennis Center, Zhuhai, China, P.R.
Maximilian Marterer (GER) d. Tomas Barrios Vera (CHI) 6-1 6-3
Yannick Hanfmann (GER) d. Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) 7-5 6-4
Kevin Krawietz/Tim Puetz (GER) d. Tomas Barrios Vera/Matias Soto (CHI) 6-1 6-3
Group D – Canada defeated Finland 3-0
AO Arena, Manchester, Great Britain
Denis Shapovalov (CAN) d. Eero Vasa (FIN) 7-6(2) 6-2
Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) d. Otto Virtanen (FIN) 6-2 6-3
Felix Auger-Aliassime/Denis Shapovalov (CAN) d. Harri Heliovaara/Otto Virtanen (FIN) 6-2 7-5
