Doubles win puts Canada into ATP Cup final against Spain
SYDNEY (AP) — Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov qualified Canada for its first ATP Cup final on Saturday when they defeated Daniil Medvedev and Roman Safiullin 4-6, 7-5, 10-7 in doubles to complete a 2-1 win against Russia.
Canada will play Spain in the final on Sunday.
Medvedev and Safiullin had been 3-0 in doubles this week but the Canadians ending that winning streak.
Shapovalov got the match off to a good start for Canada by winning his opening singles 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 but Medvedev leveled with a 6-4, 6-0 victory against Auger-Aliassime.
“I had to try and stay positive. Of course it was tough, especially (because) that second set went the way it went in singles,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Denis helped me and the team to push myself. We had a tough start in the doubles, so to be able to come back in this way, it’s really a team effort.
“That’s what the ATP Cup is about. You can still win after being 1-all and losing a tough singles. It’s really about the team effort and we’re happy to be through.“
On Friday, Roberto Bautista Agut clinched Spain’s spot in the final with a 7-6 (6), 2-6, 7-6 (5) victory over Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz. Earlier Pablo Carreno Busta gave Spain the lead with a 6-2, 6-1 win against late replacement Jan Zielinski.
Kamil Majchrzak went 3-0 for Poland in the group stages, but was forced into isolation due to a positive COVID-19 test.
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