Canada’s Denis Shapovalov walks onto the court to receive his championship ring during a ceremony honouring Canada’s Davis Cup championship team at Day 1 of the National Bank Open in Toronto, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. Shapovalov is one of four players that has been named to Canada's Davis Cup team for the international tennis competition's upcoming group stage. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
MONTREAL – Denis Shapovalov is one of four players that has been named to Canada’s Davis Cup team for the international tennis competition’s upcoming group stage.
Shapovalov, from Richmond Hill, Ont., will be joined by Vancouver’s Vasek Pospisil, Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo and Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que.
The Canadians are the defending champions of the men’s tennis tournament after beating Australia 2-0 on Nov. 27.
“It has been a dream come true for Canada to win its first Davis Cup title ever,” said captain Frank Dancevic. “We have proven that we are capable of achieving great things, and our team is preparing for another opportunity to make a deep run.
“We know how hard the Davis Cup is to win, especially back to back. But I believe deeply in this team that anything is possible.”
Canada will be playing out of Group A alongside Italy, Sweden, and Chile in Bologna, Italy, from Sept. 12-17.
Shapovalov, 24, will be representing his country for the ninth time in his career.
He has a 14-9 record since making his Davis Cup debut in 2016.
During last year’s championship tie against Australia, Shapovalov defeated Thanasi Kokkinakis in the all-important opening match before Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime sealed the victory for Canada with a win over Alex de Minaur.
Shapovalov, currently ranked No. 22 in the world, hasn’t played since his strong run last month at Wimbledon, reaching the Round of 16 at the Grand Slam event.
World No. 168 Pospisil has been nominated to Canada’s Davis Cup team for the 24th time in his career. The 33-year-old from British Columbia played a key role in last year’s title run, winning five of his seven matches over the course of the Group Stage and knockout stage. Pospisil holds a 27-24 record in the competition and is now only one win away from tying Sebastien Lareau as the second-most winningest Canadian in Davis Cup history, behind tennis legend Daniel Nestor.
Diallo, 21, is sitting at a career-best ranking of No. 134 and will be taking part in his third Davis Cup event. The Montrealer is still looking for his first Davis Cup win, losing his lone match to Serbia’s Laslo Djere in last year’s group stage. It’s been a season to remember for Diallo, winning his first ATP main draw match in Toronto last week and continues to climb up the ATP rankings.
Galarneau will join teammates Shapovalov, Pospisil, and Diallo in Bologna for what will be his fourth career nomination. Ranked 196th in the world, the 24-year-old Galarneau is fresh off his first professional title, winning the ATP Challenger event in Granby, Quebec in July. He currently holds a 0-2 record at the Davis Cup.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2023.
