November twenty seventh, 2022.
The pictures from that evening are burned into the brains of diehard Canadian tennis followers.
Félix Auger-Aliassime falling on his again after match level. Frank Dancevic main the remainder of the squad charging onto the court docket to sort out him. The trophy (on Auger-Aliassime’s head), the confetti, the champagne, the mass of purple and white fashioned by the Canadian followers within the crowd, it was the fruits of 109 years of working in direction of lastly claiming the Davis Cup title.
When Group Canada walks out onto the match court docket on the AO Area in Manchester on Tuesday for his or her first group stage tie in opposition to Argentina, it will likely be the primary time these six males can be kitted up and able to play collectively since that magical evening in Malaga.
“It’s an ideal feeling having your full staff. That’s big to come back right into a tie having your finest gamers,” mentioned Canada captain Dancevic on the staff’s pre-event press convention on Monday. “It’s the identical vitality that we’ve had. We all know this precise staff, we all know we’ve gone all the best way to win. That provides us loads of confidence getting in.”
Canada reached the quarter-finals of their title defence in 2023, however wear-and-tear on the finish of a protracted season hampered the squad and so they have been bounced by Finland, one of many three groups standing in Canada’s means this week within the group stage.
However the Canadians are feeling good as they gear up for an additional run on the cup.
“Now we have many choices for singles, doubles, doubles groups, switching, so there’s so many choices on this staff which nice. Everyone seems to be wholesome getting in so it’s good,” defined the captain.
Canada could have waited 109 years to win their first title, however they’re nicely positioned to be a powerhouse for years to come back within the competitors. Once they gained in 2022, 4 of the 5 members of that staff have been beneath the age of 24.
“Now we have an excellent, younger proficient staff,” mentioned Auger-Aliassime on the press convention. “We’ve gained already which is sweet. That’s achieved, we’ve got that for all times. However we wish to get extra wins like this.”
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Auger-Aliassime quipped in regards to the 34-year-old staff veteran Vasek Pospisil, “We preserve him younger. He’s nonetheless received 10 years in entrance of him. Nonetheless recent.”
When requested if he had shared any recommendation with the kids, Pospisil mentioned with fun, “None, I’ve not given them any recommendation.”
He went on to bathe them with reward, saying, “They’re so mature, even from a younger age. They’re very skilled. They’ve superb heads on their shoulders and unbelievable expertise. It’s lucky for me on the tail finish of my profession to be part of such an ideal staff and so they’re going to be a drive to take care of for years to come back.”
One of many notable adjustments for the reason that 2022 victory is the rise of Gabriel Diallo. The 22-year-old stepped up in the course of the 2023 group stage in Bologna, Italy when Auger-Aliassime was absent and Denis Shapovalov was injured and has since gained a pair of ATP Challenger titles and certified for 2 Grand Slam major attracts, lately making the third spherical of the US Open.
“I used to be capable of construct momentum all through the summer season and end the hard-court swing with an excellent run on the Open,” mentioned Diallo. “[I have a] good quantity of momentum, I really feel superb about my sport and I’m excited for a Davis Cup run.”
Shapovalov, who was current on the 2023 group stage however was unable to play as a result of a knee harm mentioned of the performances that week of Diallo and Alexis Galarneau, who went 5-0 in Italy, “it was enjoyable to observe the blokes in Bologna final yr. It was in a means robust as a result of I wasn’t capable of play however I used to be type of glad I wasn’t enjoying as a result of each of the blokes have been enjoying unbelievable. All the guys have been.”
Regardless of not essentially being a powerhouse on paper, Auger-Aliassime is the one Canadian with a rating in double digits, the Canadians have a behavior of stepping up when representing their nation. Diallo, Galarneau, and Pospisil have been all outdoors the High 150 after they went 8-1 in Bologna final yr.
“Each time Frank calls me to be part of the staff it’s all the time an honour to symbolize Canada,” mentioned Galarneau, who has been part of each Group Canada Davis Cup tie since his first nomination in March 2022. “For me, who’s on the Challenger tour, these weeks are way more stimulating, extra thrilling. It’s arduous to say no. To have the ability to symbolize Canada is unbelievable.”
In 2024, arguably Auger-Aliassime’s finest efficiency was with the maple leaf on his chest when he introduced residence a bronze medal from the Paris Olympics. He’s presently on a five-match successful streak (seven if doubles are included) in Davis Cup play courting again to 2022.
Canada will play their first group stage match on Tuesday (Sep. 10) in opposition to Argentina. They’ve a shot at revenge for his or her 2023 quarter-final loss to Finland on Thursday (Sep. 12) earlier than ending in opposition to the hosts Nice Britain on Sunday. The highest two groups within the group advance to November’s Last 8 in Malaga, the location of Canada’s 2022 victory.
