Denis Shapovalov secured Canada's place in the 2023 Davis Cup finals with a commanding 6-0, 7-5 win over Britain's Dan Evans, delivering redemption after his controversial 2017 match against Britain. In that encounter, Shapovalov was disqualified for accidentally hitting the umpire in frustration, which resulted in Britain winning the tie. This time, Shapovalov made no mistakes as his victory ensured Canada’s progression alongside Argentina from their group in Manchester.
The 25-year-old, once ranked 10th in the world but now at 100, acknowledged the challenge of maintaining momentum after dominating the first set. He praised Evans as a formidable opponent who rallied in the second set, adding that the enthusiastic crowd fueled the Briton's comeback attempt. Despite the mounting pressure, Shapovalov was relieved to close out the match in straight sets, silencing the home fans.
Felix Auger-Aliassime followed Shapovalov’s lead by defeating Jack Draper 7-6 (10/8), 7-5, securing the overall tie for Canada. Although the British team won the final doubles match to make the score 2-1, it was not enough to advance them to the finals. Canada joined Argentina in the next stage, while the Netherlands secured the final spot by avoiding a 3-0 defeat against Italy.
Other matches saw Spain beat Australia 2-1 in Valencia, though both teams had already qualified, and Chile narrowly defeated Slovakia 2-1 in Zhuhai. The Davis Cup finals will be held in Malaga, Spain, from November 19-24, with the quarterfinal draw set to take place next Thursday.
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