Photo : Martin Sidorjak
To say it was a memorable week in Malaga, Spain for Team Canada presented by Sobeys last November would be an understatement. That’s because it was the site of one of the greatest achievements in Canadian tennis history: a Davis Cup title.
In this latest episode of Game. Set. Canada, we take you on a journey that spans three years. In 2019, a young, talented, but inexperienced Canadian squad reached their first Davis Cup final where they came up short against Rafael Nadal and Spain. That event marked Félix Auger-Aliassime’s first Davis Cup appearance.
Fast forward to 2022 and the Montreal native led his country to the ultimate prize. How quickly things change. During the knock-out stage in Valencia in September, the 22-year-old knocked out World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in singles and won the decisive doubles rubber alongside Vasek Pospisil to avenge Canada’s 2019 loss to Spain and propel his team to the final 8.
Canada arrived in Malaga two months later with a full complement of players and one of the most prolific lineups they’ve ever had. Auger-Aliassime was coming off three consecutive titles on indoor hard courts and Denis Shapovalov made a triumphant Davis Cup return after reaching a pair of finals in Seoul and Vienna. Pospisil, Gabriel Diallo, and Alexis Galarneau rounded out the Canadian quintet.
Impressive victories over Germany in the quarter-finals, Italy in the semifinals, and Australia in the final meant Canada was the last team standing lifting one of the most prestigious trophies in tennis. Enjoy this exciting trip down memory lane and prepare to relive some of the emotions you felt while watching this landmark achievement live.
