More energetic than world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliasime led Canada to a 2-1 win over Spain in Valencia on Friday in the Davis Cup final round robin.
Auger-Aliassim won 6-7(3), 6-4 and 6-2 against the young Spaniard in the afternoon.
A few hours later, the Montrealer and his compatriot Vasek Pospisil took the honor of a duel in a double face with Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martínez to seal the outcome of the meeting.
In Auger-Aliassim’s first win of the day, the defining moment was 12 minutes of play in which the recent US Open champion dropped at least five break points in the third set.
After failing to return to service, he slowed down again. The “FAA” (13th) added a second break and then took control with the balls in hand to finish the job.
This is the first victory for Auger-Aliasim against the world’s first racket. Earlier this year, on his first occasion in Rome, he bowed down to Novak Djokovic.
This long battle of 2 hours 55 minutes could have been executed much faster. Quebecer had actually dropped a break point which would have given him the first set at 5-6. He then lost his last three points on serve in a tiebreaker to give his opponent the first set.
A similar situation arose during the next engagement, and this time the Maple Leaf representative did not miss his chance. He captured the set in five short service rallies, beating Alkaraz 5-4.
An unexpected victory in doubles Crossing swords against the resting pair of Granollers and Martinez, the Maple Leafs representatives worked hard to secure a 4-6, 6-4 and 7-5 victory and give Canada the victory. Pospisil and the “FAA” notably erased a 5–3 delay in the final round.
They were only two points away from giving up when they rolled up their sleeves to win the next four games.
In the second set, the Canadians got their first break of serve duel at the most opportune moment, when they were leading 5-4. Eventually in 2 hours 7 minutes Pospisil and Auger-Aliasim closed the debate.
Pospisil S’Incline
In the first match of the day, Pospisil was unable to follow his pace, losing 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 in straight sets from the opening set against Roberto Bautista Agut.
141. Possession onI World Rank, Pospisil a Vu Bautista Agut (21.)I) descended into the excitement of the home crowd in the second set despite a 11-2 dominance in aces.
The winner took three breaks on 12 occasions during the match of 2h11 minutes.
The Canadian made 33 unforced errors compared to 13 for his opponent.
After winning two of three games in their duel against South Korea on Tuesday, Canada will face Serbia on TVA Sports to end the tournament on Saturday. They have to finish in the top two in the Group B standings to qualify for the final to be held on 21-27 November.
