Posted in: 09/16/2022 – 21:54Last update: 09/16/2022 – 21:52
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Valencia (Spain) (AFP) – Carlos Alcaras was unsuccessful in his debut as the youngest number one in history, having lost his country’s second singles match against Canada on Friday in the second group competition of the Davis Cup tennis.
Alcaras missed Spain’s first match in this group in Valencia, in which they beat Serbia without absent star Novak Djokovic 3-0.
But the 19-year-old Flushing Meadows title winner was in attendance on Sunday on Friday and had the opportunity to take his country 2-0 ahead of Canada, and the confrontation with the latter was decided by Roberto Bautista Agut, who put him in the lead by slightly beating Vasek Pospisil 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
However, he was unsuccessful in his first ever match with Felix Auger-Eliassim, as, after winning the first set with great difficulty 7-6 (7-3), he suffered both and lost the second 4-6 and then the third 2-6 after a match that lasted two hours and 50 minutes.
Therefore, the double that will take place later will be decisive in determining the identity of the winner of this confrontation.
To avoid complicated calculations to determine the best runners-up, the number of teams participating in the group stage has been reduced from 18 in the last edition to 16 this year, and they have been divided into four groups, whose matches have started. on Tuesday and ended on Sunday in four cities: Bologna (first group), Scottish Glasgow (fourth), Hamburg (third) and Valencia (second).
The first and second place in the groups will qualify for the playoffs (quarter-final, semi-final and final) scheduled in Malaga, Spain, from 22 to 27 November.
Russia was denied the title they won last year at the expense of 2018 champion Croatia, after being eliminated due to the invasion of Ukraine.
Spain will play the final round on Sunday against South Korea, while Canada will face Serbia on Saturday after winning their first match with South Korea.
Unlike Alcaras, Yannick Sener, 11th in the world, has increased the chances of Italy, host of Group A in Bologna, to reach the quarter-finals by taking them to their second victory at Argentina’s expense.
After missing the first match that Italy decided against Croatia 3-0, Sener participated on Friday against Argentina and led his country 2-0 after winning the second singles match over Francisco Cerondolo. 7-5, 1-6, 6-3.
Matteo Bertini opened the way for his country by easily deciding the first singles at the expense of Sebastian Paes 6-2 6-3, thus the double that Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini will play against Maximo Gonzalez and Horacio Ceballos becomes marginal. for this comparison, but it is important in the group accounts.
Argentina’s task was complicated by the fact that they had already lost their first match against Sweden, which they lost to Croatia on Thursday.
Argentina will play Croatia on Saturday, while Italy will face Sweden on Sunday.
© 2022 AFP
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