You could be forgiven for thinking that the Davis Cup Qualifiers First Round tie in Vancouver was not going to go Canada’s way.
Just look at all the times it seemed like their epitaph was set in stone:
- Gabriel Diallo’s shocking loss to Gustavo Heide on day one to give away a singles point and imply some vulnerability in the higher-ranked Canadian team.
- Brazil’s comeback win in doubles to go up 2-1 in the tie, leaving Canada no margin for error the rest of the way.
- Diallo falling behind a set and then facing a break point in the opening game of the second.
- Liam Draxl falling awkwardly, twisting his ankle, and needing a medical timeout in the first set of the decisive singles match. Then proceeding to have his serve broken on the first point after the restart.
And yet, despite all that, Team Canada is on its way to the Davis Cup Qualifiers Second Round.
“It's probably the biggest match for my career. Probably the most pressure I've had. It means so much to me to play for your flag, for your country, to book a spot for the next tie in September,” said Draxl in his post-match press conference. "I'm just super happy that all of us could advance.”
It is the second year in a row that Canada’s Qualifiers First Round tie went the distance. But this time, they completed the comeback on the heels of gritty performances from Diallo and Draxl.
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“Very happy with [the return of serve]. Yesterday, I know things that I did well and carried over today. I kind of wanted to play the important moments with a little bit more of conviction,” explained Diallo post-match. "I think I showcased it in the tiebreaker of the third set with my game. I try to impose myself and kind of not let my opponent dictate which [I’m] very happy that I was able to do it under a lot of pressure.”
“They showed incredible character today,” said captain Frank Dancevic. “It's not easy coming back after tough losses. It's a lot of pressure, you know you’ve got to win that match to keep the tie alive. So credit to [Gabriel]. He just decided to go for it when he needed to in the third. He didn't back down. He faced it and he gave the team a win. So that was huge. There was a lot on his shoulders.”
“And then Liam, after the doubles loss today, having to come back two and a half hours later and play singles is very difficult emotionally. So for him to come out and play the way he did in the fifth, it was just incredible. He just went out there with no doubt in his mind that he was going to the match.”
While his defeat in doubles to start the day spoiled his perfect Davis Cup record, Draxl still managed to deliver an all-time performance this week in Vancouver. Not only does he remain undefeated in his Davis Cup career in singles, he has yet to drop a set.
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Coming out after Diallo’s nail-biter of a win, it was an opportunity for the 24-year-old to play the hero. He admitted after his win on Friday that he had felt nerves early in that match. But if he was feeling them again on Sunday, it never showed. Draxl was on the front foot throughout the match, even responding with a break of serve after going down with an ankle injury that for a minute looked like it was going to gift the win to Brazil.
"I think what I keep learning, not only about myself, but just about this team, is that we lay it all out there every point,” said Draxl. “We're always trying to do the right things in practice and preparation leading up to the matches. And all of us, everyone who plays in these Davis Cup ties that I've been a part of, is fighting so hard for every point. And I think win or lose on all of these ties, that we can always say that we've left it all out there. It's just credit to the team and kind of this culture we have.”
In press, Dancevic shared that early in the match, “At 1-2, [Liam] said, ‘Hey Frank, I'm feeling really good right now.' and I felt that's a good thing to hear when you're a captain in the fifth match. Right there, I like that because he was calm. He felt like he had the match. He felt something on the court that he had an edge against the opponent. So he reassured me that he was feeling good.”
And even with the ankle injury, which Draxl said post-match he never felt again after receiving treatment, the Newmarket, ON,-native backed up his words.
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An important factor in every Davis Cup tie is the partisan home crowd, and Draxl used it to his full advantage on Saturday. After practically every point he won, he would tell the crowd to get loud. He encouraged the chants of “This is My House” on every big point. Being in the stadium, it felt more like several thousand vs one rather than the actual one-on-one taking place on court.
The victory continued Canada’s winning streak in Vancouver. The Davis Cup squad has now won their last four ties at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. Their last loss was 14 years ago.
Photo : Sarah-Jade Champagne
Of course, that streak is bolstered by the fact that they did not play in Vancouver for 11 years, but that made the victory in their return all the sweeter.
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And now the bid for a second title remains on. Canada will host the Davis Cup Qualifiers Second Round tie in September, although both the opponent, either France or Slovakia, and the location are to be determined.
No matter who or where though, Team Canada sent a message this week. No matter the odds, no matter the circumstances, no matter the deficit, never ever count them out.
CLICK HERE for everything about the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers First Round tie in Vancouver.
Feature Photo : Sarah-Jade Champagne
