Canada escapes against Germany to advance to Davis Cup semi-finals

Vasek Pospisil and Denis Shapovalov clinched the decisive doubles in order to send Canada into the Davis Cup semi-finals

Denis-Shapovalov-Vasek-Pospisil-Davis-Cup-2022 (AI / Reuters / Panoramic)

Carole Bouchard

November 25, 2022

Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz had played eight matches together for Germany and won all of them. Seven of those matches had been played with the ties loced at 1-1. They’re an experienced doubles team. They were a set up on Thursday. And despite all those odds, it’s Canada who got the decisive win 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 to move into the Davis Cup semi-finals.

And they surely owe it to the incredible second set of Vasek Pospisil who took charge of the situation, reminding everybody that he was still one of the best doubles players out there. He and Shapovalov didn’t have their opponents’ alchemy at all so he took every chance that came by him: way more powerful than Krawietz and Puetz, he basically dug holes into their game and then their confidence. On his serve, he closed all the doors. And thus, little by little, Canada came back into the match and the tie.

Pospisil saves the day for Canada

Shapovalov, logically still mourning his loss in singles earlier in the day, finally got into his groove back in the third set, pushed and pushed by Pospisil who was still on fire. When the pair got up a break at 3-1, there was no denying them anymore. And they actually proved something that was really not obvious in the first set: they can actually be a great doubles team. They’re way more powerful than the rest of the field, they have huge serves, and are natural shot makers.

Sure, the easy thought was to wonder why Felix Auger-Aliassime hadn’t been picked to play with Pospisil: he has way more confident right now than Shapovalov and had won his match in straight sets. But in the end, the risk paid off, and it may pay double because now Shapovalov has gained all the confidence back. And they will need him at his best now in the semi-finals against Italy as the Canadians’ dream to clinch their first Davis Cup title remains alive and well.