Photo: ATP Tour
Team Canada has been drawn alongside defending ATP Cup champions Serbia, led by World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, as well as a tough Team Germany spearheaded by 2020 US Open finalist Alexander Zverev in the second edition of the season-opening team competition in Australia.
Led by top-ranked Canadian Denis Shapovalov (No. 12) and captain Peter Polansky, Team Canada will compete in the five-day event at Melbourne Park which gets underway on February 1.
Their guaranteed meeting with Serbia offers Canada the chance to avenge their quarter-finals loss to the eventual winners of last year’s inaugural event. Meanwhile, Shapovalov and co will face Germany in the group stages for the second year in a row having clashed with them in Group F in 2020, prevailing 2-1.
While the inaugural 2020 ATP Cup included six groups of four teams, the 2021 edition will feature just 12 teams. Qualification was based on the ATP rankings of each country’s top-ranked singles player. Canada gained entry into the tournament following Roger Federer’s withdrawal, which ruled out Switzerland.
The winners of each group will advance to the semi-finals.
