Finlandwith the tennis player Otto Virtanen as a hero, he has caused the surprise on the first day of the ‘Final 8’ of the Davis Cup, which is being played this week in the Martín Carpena Pavilion of Málaga, by beating the current champion in the quarterfinals, Canada (2-1), to advance to the semifinals.
Closing the game the same way he started it: with pure ace ????
@milosraonic gives Canada 1-0 in the series ????????#DavisCupFinals | @TennisCanadapic.twitter.com/SP49HfDdHr
— Davis Cup (@CopaDavis) November 21, 2023
In the first singles duel, Milos Raonic advanced the North American team after beating in two sets Patrick from Kaukova (6-3, 7-5). The former world number three, who had not played a Davis Cup duel since 2018, did not face any break balls against him and took advantage of two of the five he had at his disposal.
Finnish fans turn Carpena blue and white on the first day of the Davis Cup
Thus, he finished the first set after breaking his opponent’s serve in the eighth game, and did the same in the eleventh game of the second set to avoid the tie-break and end the contest after one hour and eight minutes.
Otto Virtanen does it with style ????
He tied the tie 1-1 heading into the doubles!
????????1⃣????1⃣????????#DavisCupFinals | @tennisfi pic.twitter.com/stIBkXpukt
— Davis Cup (@CopaDavis) November 21, 2023
Posteriorly, Otto Virtanen made it 1-1 by beating Gabriel Diallo (6-4, 7-5), Canadian number one in the absence of Félix Auger-Aliassime and that he arrived in the Andalusian city with physical discomfort. The Nordic player, world number 171, won the first set by breaking in the third game and resisting a break point in the fourth.
Djokovic arrives in Malaga to play the Davis Cup
Already in the second set, he missed three break opportunities before taking advantage of the fourth, in the eleventh game, and taking the match. Everything would be resolved in the doubles match, where Virtanen he repeated along with Harri Heliovaara compared to Alexis Galarneau and Vasek Pospisil.
POV: you are at the foot of the track to witness how Finland makes history ????????#DavisCupFinals | @tennisfi pic.twitter.com/WQaodVl0Kr
— Davis Cup (@CopaDavis) November 21, 2023
The Finnish duo started with a 4-1 that the Canadian couple neutralized with another break (4-4), but in the twelfth game, in their second opportunity, they closed the set in their favor for the rest. A single ‘break’ in the eighth game of the second set allowed Finland to give the bell and eliminate the champion.
2023-11-21 21:18:04
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