Canada, Germany and Australia remain unbeaten in the group stages of the Davis Cup Finals after each won their second straight match of the week in convincing fashion.
Canada beat Finland in the English city of Manchester, Australia hammered the Czech Republic in Valencia, Spain, while Germany swept aside Chile in Zhuhai, China, all by the same 3-0 margin.
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 Canada, offering the 2022 champions an element of revenge after they lost to Finland in last year’s quarter-finals.
“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.”
Auger-Aliassime was back on court soon after with Shapovalov in the doubles to wrap up the tie with a 6-2 7-5 win over Virtanen and Harri Heliovaara.
On an indoor hard court in Zhuhai, China, Germany’s 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. Chile were without the services of an ill Nicolas Jarry.
Australia eased to their victory over the Czechs after Thanasi Kokkinakis had given them the lead by beating Jakub Mensik 6-2 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 and Tomas Machac had to pull out with a leg injury after playing just nine points against Alexei Popyrin.
Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell then beat Mensik and Adam Pavlasek 6-4 6-2 in the doubles.
The Netherlands picked up their first win against Brazil in the only one of Thursday’s ties to be decided in doubles. Wesley Koolhof and Botic van de Zandschulp won a close match 6-4 7-6 (7-5) against Brazil’s Rafael Matos and Marcelo Melo to hand Brazil their second loss in Bologna, Italy.
Brazil had led after Joao Fonseca beat van de Zandschulp 6-4 7-6 (7-3) in the first match but Tallon Griekspoor levelled the tie with a 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 win over Thiago Monteiro.