Canada remained unbeaten in the group stage of the Davis Cup Finals after winning its second straight match on Thursday in Zhuhai, China.
Canada raced into an unassailable 2-0 lead against Finland in Manchester, England.
Denis Shapovalov beat Eero Vasa 7-6 (2), 6-2 and Felix Auger-Aliassime followed up with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Otto Virtanen for the 2022 Davis Cup champions.
WATCH | Shapovalov defeats Finland’s Vasa in group stage match:
Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., scored a win over Finland’s Eesa Vesa (7-5, 6-2) in Canada’s first match of the Davis Cup Finals group stage against Finland.
There was an element of revenge after Canada lost to Finland in last year’s quarterfinals.
“Everybody’s in good spirits, so it’s very good,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Any motivation is good, but I think it’s a different year, a different time, and [last year’s loss] was behind us. This year we have a full team and everybody’s playing better than last year. Everybody’s improved.”
WATCH | Auger-Aliassime posts 6-2, 6-2 victory on Thursday:
Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal, Que., defeated Otto Virtanen (6-2, 6-3) to clinch the win in Canada’s Group D tie on Thursday in Manchester, England.
In other action, Germany swept aside Chile 3-0.
On an indoor hard court in Zhuhai, Maximilian Marterer beat Tomas Barrios Vera 6-1, 6-3, then Yannick Hanfmann defeated Alejandro Tabilo 7-5, 6-4 to clinch the tie. Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz, who have lost only one cup match, beat Barrios Vera and Matias Soto 6-1, 6-3. In no match was Germany broken.
Germany has never lost to Chile, which didn’t use an ill Nicolas Jarry.
The Germans, after also beating Slovakia 3-0, lead Group C, followed by the United States, Slovakia and Chile. The next tie is U.S. vs. Slovakia on Friday.
Four groups of teams are playing in four cities this week to qualify for the eight-team Finals in Malaga, Spain, in November. The top two countries in each four-team group advance.
Also Thursday, the Netherlands and Brazil are vying for their first wins in Group A when they play at Bologna, Italy. Last year’s runner-up Australia will try to go 2-0 when it takes on the Czech Republic in Valencia, Spain.