History unfortunately did not repeat itself for Canada, and they fell to Germany in the Davis Cup quarter-finals in Malaga.
There were a lot of similarities between the 2022 and 2024 quarterfinals. Two of the scheduled matches were the same (but one was not played). Germany won the first singles duel. Jan-Lennard Struff got the better of Denis Shapovalov in the deciding game of the third set.
But there were also many crucial differences. And the most important element did not happen again: Canada’s victory.
“It’s part of life. Overall, Davis Cup matches are never easy. There are always ups and downs,” commented captain Frank Dancevic during the last press briefing.
For Canada, this is a second consecutive quarter-final defeat in Malaga.
The second singles match was a repeat of the 2022 match between Shapovalov and Struff. Although the order of the rounds was different, the result was the same: a victory for the German in three rounds.
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“I’m obviously disappointed for the team. I feel like I let my teammates down. I felt like I had the match within my reach and I had several chances,” said Shapovalov. However, victory slipped from my hands. It’s definitely a tough loss. »
“I think the match was of high quality. The guys played well. In these areas, Struff’s services are really effective. The surface suits his game, Dancevic analyzed. This came down to a few points. Overall, it was a great match with Denis and at this level, when two guys are playing really well, there’s really little room for error on either side, and there’s a bit of luck involved. into account. »
Asked if he had thought about his 2022 loss to Struff, who leads their head-to-head 7-3, Shapovalov admitted: “I didn’t watch that match at all. It was almost two years ago. Things are very different today. We are different players. A lot of time has passed. I know how he plays, so there’s not much to take away from this match.”
If the Canadian number one had managed to come out on top against Struff, the doubles would have been a replay of the decisive match of 2022 which pitted Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil against Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz. The Canadians then won this clash, but they did not have the opportunity to try their luck in 2024.
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The only duel that was not a repeat of 2022 was the one between Gabriel Diallo and Daniel Altmaier. However, if the players were different, the result was the same as Germany scored the first point, this time, thanks to Altmaier.
“I wasn’t as relaxed as I would have liked. It was quite uneven. There were times when I played well and others where it was a little more disjointed, Diallo admitted after the match. But that’s how it happens sometimes. We sometimes feel overwhelmed by the moment and that’s what happened a few times today. I didn’t manage to find my rhythm and my bearings to get the victory. »
In Dancevic’s eyes, “there was a lot of nervousness in the first match between Gab and Altmaier. They were both hesitant at first and, in fact, they remained that way throughout the match. »
Despite the defeat, Dancevic praised his team and was optimistic for 2025.
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“I am very proud of our players and the way they fought this week,” concluded Dancevic. That’s the only thing I can ask for as captain. Next year, we will come back stronger with the hope of making another victorious journey towards the title. »
Canada will participate in the qualifying round in February. He will know the identity of his opponent and the location of the competition in the coming weeks. Last February, Canada hosted the Republic of Korea in Montreal.
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