Vancouver (Canada) – Last-minute bet by captain Jaime Oncins, São Paulo native Matheus Pucinelli fulfilled his role spectacularly, coming very close to overthrowing the top 40 Canadian Gabriel Diallo, which would determine the third and decisive point for Brazil to advance to the second round of the Davis Cup qualifying phase. But the number 292nd in the current ranking ended up taking the upset, with splits of 3/6, 6/1 and 7/6 (7-4), after 2h22.
As a result, the two countries draw 2-2 on Vancouver’s indoor synthetic surface and the decisive game will follow, between Gustavo Heide and Liam Draxl, two players who emerged victorious from Friday’s round. Heide achieved a great victory over the 2.03m Canadian, by 7/6 (7-4), 3/6 and 7/6 (7-3), shortly after João Lucas Reis was beaten by Liam Draxl, by double 6/3. In the opening round of this Saturday, the duo of Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos determined the turnaround, with a tough victory over Draxl and Cleeve Harper, by 3/6, 6/4 and 7/5.
Whoever wins will face in September the winner of the ongoing duel between France and Slovakia, who play in Le Chadron, on a covered synthetic surface, and draw 1-1. If Brazil faces the French, they will host the duel as they were visitors last year. In the case of the Slovaks, the clash will be away, because the previous one took place in Rio de Janeiro, in 2000.
Pucinelli’s unexpected performance
Until entering the court this Saturday, Pucinelli had only faced one opponent among the top 50 in the world, losing to Giovanni Perricard in the Davis Cup against France last year, in a game with a score already defined. His biggest victory in terms of ranking is against the Dane Holger Rune, then 88th, at the 2022 Santiago ATP.
Pucinelli followed in Heide’s footsteps in the first set, serving very efficiently and always trying to get into the points, where he proved to be very agile, consistent and very attentive to counterattacks in the face of the Canadian’s attacks towards the net. He got a break at the first chance, in the eighth game, and served firmly to take the lead. He hit a remarkable 85% of his first serve and won 78% of those points.
Supported by the fans, Diallo finally raised his level and started to make better use of his first serve and cut down on mistakes when changing the ball, waiting for the best moment to seek to define the point. With that, he opened 3/0, broke again in the sixth game and was dominant both from deep and near the net.
The third set had opportunities for both sides, with very long games, ups and downs and chances of breaks in the fourth and fifth games. Pucinelli served very well in important moments and went deeper with his returns again, forcing Diallo to work from the base. At 4/4, the Brazilian left with 40-0, but had to save a crucial break-point thanks to a very deep second serve. Pucinelli then won a spectacular point, in which he managed all types of defense, and reached 5/4 with a serve-volley. The decision ended in the tiebreak and then Pucinelli started with a double fault and was unable to recover the difference.
