ATP Cup 2022: Led by Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime, Canada wins title for first time
Canada beat Spain in the final of the 2022 ATP Cup. Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime played some incredible tennis to win their respective singles matches to bring home the title for Canada.
Spain vs Canada score
Denis Shapovalov beat Pablo Carreno Busta 6-4, 6-3.
Felix Auger-Aliassime beat Robert Bautista Agut 7-6(3), 6-3.
Spain vs Canada winner
Denis Shapovalov's win over Pablo Carreno Busta in the opening singles match of the 2022 ATP Cup final put Canada 1-0 up against Spain. Shapovalov played arguably his best match of the week to help his country take the lead in the final.
It was Felix Auger-Aliassime's turn up next and the 20 year old showed immense maturity to outsmart the wily Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut and finish things off for Canada.
A @denis_shapo victory shared is a #TeamCanada victory doubled 🙌🇨🇦
#ATPCup https://t.co/SoteHcsudZ
Spain vs Canada recap
Pablo Carreno Busta vs Denis Shapovalov recap
It was a nervous start to the match for Shapovalov as he had to fend off five break points in his opening service game before opening up a 1-0 lead. The Spaniard looked the more assured of the two and before long made further inroads into the Canadian's serve, earning another break point opportunity in the fifth game.
Shapovalov eventually got his game going as the nerves settled, but the Spaniard remained solid. At 4-5 in the opening set though, the Canadian stepped up, taking the attack to the Spaniard as he earned himself a couple of break-point opportunities. Shapovalov kept the pressure on as Carreno Busta cracked to give him the opening set 6-4.
Shapovalov then broke the Spaniard's serve to love early in the second set with a breathtaking return game, sealing the break with a backhand winner. With Carreno Busta finding it hard to hit through him and his own confidence surging, Shapovalov raced to a 4-1 lead.
But the game was far from over as the Spaniard locked in, forcing Shapovalov to err. Before long, the Canadian's serve was under pressure once again and Carreno Busta broke to level the set. But Shapovalov had the perfect response, breaking right back to earn himself an opportunity to serve for the match.
The Canadian made no mistake this time around as he duly served out the match to win 6-4, 6-3.
Roberto Bautista Agut vs Felix Auger-Aliassime recap
Things started ominously for Felix Auger-Aliassime as Bautista Agut raced to a 2-0 lead in the first set. But the Canadian broke back immediately following a brilliant return game to get the match back on serve. An array of uncharacteristic errors from the Spaniard helped Auger-Aliassime fend off three more break points in the next game before holding serve to level it at 2-2.
The Canadian kept finding himself under pressure on serve and had to save a further five break points in the eighth game. It was then the Spaniard's turn to be put under pressure, but he dug deep to save three break points.
Eventually it needed a tie-breaker to decide the first set and the Canadian opened up a double mini-break with a pair of forehand winners. Auger-Aliassime then ensured there was no way back for the Spaniard and closed out the set 7-6(3) in 85 minutes.
Bautista Agut's break-point conversion continued to take a hit as the Canadian saved a couple of break points in the third game of the second set. There was very little to separate the two as they both went about their serve rather comfortably in the next few games.
At 3-4 in the second set though, the Canadian played an incredible return game to break Bautista Agut and earn himself an opportunity to serve for the title. There was no way back for the Spaniard as Auger-Aliassime served it out to clinch victory for his country.
An epic performance by @felixtennis to clinch the title for #TeamCanada at the @ATPCup! twitter.com/ATPCup/status/…
Also Check Out: Updated ATP Cup 2022 Results