Félix Auger-Aliassime (Montreal, QC), Denis Shapovalov (Richmond Hill, ON), Vasek Pospisil (Vernon, BC), Brayden Schnur (Pickering, ON) and Peter Polansky (Toronto, ON) have been selected to represent Canada in the 2021 Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals, which will take place from November 25 to December 5.
Tennis Canada also announced on Monday that Sobeys has been named presenting partner of the Canadian Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup teams for their respective 2021 Finals in Prague. and Madrid.
“With only one month to go until the Davis Cup by Rakuten final, we are delighted to name the team that will represent Canada in Madrid,” commented the Canadian Davis Cup team presented by Sobeys captain Frank Dancevic.
“We came very close to becoming world champions two years ago and although we know it will be a great challenge, we believe that with Felix, Denis, Vasek, Brayden and Peter, we have a team capable of going all the way.
We started with tough qualifying rounds against Sweden and Kazakhstan, and all the teams that qualified are very strong, but we head to Spain confident that we can achieve our goal. “
Auger-Aliassime, 21, will represent Canada for the fourth time in the Davis Cup after being selected for the first time in Toronto in 2018 and making his on-court debut against Slovakia in February 2019.
He was also part of the team that reached the final that year in Madrid, but lost to host Spain. Auger-Aliassime has enjoyed a successful 2021 season thus far, reaching No. 11 on the ATP Tour and reaching the US Open semifinals in September.
Shapovalov will participate in his eighth Davis Cup event. He made his Davis Cup arc for Canada in a 2016 World Group tie against Chile and most recently played a pivotal role in the team’s journey to the 2019 final in Madrid, where he won three of his five singles matches.
Like Auger-Aliassime, the 22-year-old Shapovalov has had a 2021 season to remember, including the Geneva Open final and the Wimbledon semi-finals. Pospisil will join Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov in the Finals, marking the 21st time that he represents Canada in the Davis Cup.
The 31-year-old is 12-11 in singles and 10-8 in doubles. His decisive performances in both disciplines saw him help propel Canada past Italy, the United States, Australia and Russia en route to the 2019 final.
He is currently ranked 85 on the ATP Tour. Another member of the 2019 Finals contingent, Schnur, will represent Canada for the third time at this year’s Finals. The 26-year-old experienced his first Davis Cup experience in 2017 when he was part of a Canadian team that beat India 3-2 in a World Group tie.
Meanwhile, Polansky is a Davis Cup veteran who has been nominated 14 times and played in 10 qualifiers. His first appearance in 2007 included an individual straight sets victory against Columbia.
His most recent nomination was for the 2019 Qualifiers tie against Slovakia. Rakuten’s 2021 Davis Cup Final will consist of six groups, each comprised of three nations.
Groups A and B will complete their free-for-all matches in Madrid, Groups C and F in Innsbruck, Austria, and Groups D and E in Turin, Italy. The Canadian Davis Cup team presented by Sobeys, in Group B, will play its first tie against Sweden on Thursday, November 25, followed by Kazakhstan on Sunday, November 28.
The winner of Group B will play their quarterfinals on Wednesday, December 1. The first semifinal will be played on Friday, December 3 and the second on Saturday, December 4. The final will be played on Sunday, December 5.
The Canadian Davis Cup team trip presented by Sobeys 2021 Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals will be streamed live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports and broadcast on SN NOW. Coverage of their first round robin tie against Sweden will begin at 10:00 a.m.
M. Eastern Time on Thursday, November 25 and their second group tie against Kazakhstan at 4:00 a.m. M. Eastern Time on Sunday, November 28.
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